As we travelled through the forests of Pench Tiger Reserve, painting and filming for our India – Land of the Tiger expedition, we became increasingly aware that conservation here is not only about wildlife. It is also about people, livelihoods and opportunity.​

 

Women, Tigers and Opportunity in Pench Tiger Reserve​

During our ‘Land of the Tiger’ expedition, we spent time in the forests of Pench with Indian journalist Priyamvada Mangal. The following is a summary of her article exploring women, wildlife and opportunity in this remarkable tiger landscape.

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You can read the full original article by Priyamvada Mangal here:

https://themigrationstory.com/post/in-the-land-of-mowgli-women-find-rare-entry-into-ecotourism-jobs/

 

Inside Maharashtra’s section of Pench Tiger Reserve, a significant shift is taking place. In a landscape globally recognised for its Bengal tigers and often associated with The Jungle Book, young women from forest villages are stepping into ecotourism roles once dominated by men.

 

This development is about far more than tourism. It sits at the intersection of tiger conservation in India, rural livelihoods, gender equality and human-wildlife coexistence. As we travelled and painted during our India Land of the Tiger expedition, these community stories became just as important as the tigers themselves.

 

Where Is Pench Tiger Reserve?

 

Pench Tiger Reserve spans 1,922 square kilometres across the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

 

The Maharashtra portion alone:

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• Is home to around 56 tigers

• Supports approximately 40,000 people

• Contains 46 villages, 44 in the buffer zone and 2 in the core

 

Most residents belong to the Gond community, a Scheduled Tribe with deep roots in central India. Traditionally, livelihoods have centred on farming, forest produce collection and daily wage labour. Many young people historically migrated to cities such as Nagpur for work.

 

Today, ecotourism in Pench attracts up to 80,000 visitors each year, transforming parts of the local economy.

 

Women Entering Ecotourism Careers​​​​

 

Until recently, safari guiding and tourism roles were overwhelmingly male. Cultural expectations and limited access to training kept most women focused on farm and domestic responsibilities.

 

That is changing.

 

Local conservation organisation Satpuda Foundation, working alongside the forest department, has been conducting training sessions for forest-dwelling women. These sessions aim to reduce dependency on forest extraction while creating career pathways within sustainable tourism.

 

Women who enrol receive training in:

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• Wildlife identification

• Scientific names of birds, mammals and trees

• Tiger behaviour and body language

• Visitor communication skills

• Safety awareness in wildlife areas

 

Participants must pass an oral examination before qualifying as official safari guides.

 

For many, wearing the guiding uniform and earning independently represents a profound shift in identity and confidence.

 

The Economics of Ecotourism in Tiger Landscapes

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The financial difference is significant.

 

Safari guides earn between 450 (approx £3.60 or $4.90 USD) and 475 INR Indian rupees per tour, depending on their examination score. By contrast, farm wages in the region average 100 (approx £0.81 or $1 USD) to 150 INR Indian rupees for several hours of labour.

 

Guides may conduct two tours a day, creating a more stable income stream than agriculture alone can provide.

 

This shift supports:

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• Financial independence for women

• Reduced economic vulnerability

• Greater resilience within households

• Fewer young people leaving for city migration

 

Villages now celebrate women guides as role models, often described locally as “poster girls” who demonstrate that careers beyond farming are possible.

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Human–Tiger Conflict and Community Tensions

 

The situation in Pench is complex.

 

India’s tiger numbers have doubled in the past two decades following the government’s long-running Project Tiger conservation initiative. However, wildlife corridors have been reduced due to roads, railways, mining, irrigation canals and industrial expansion.

 

As habitats shrink, tigers increasingly encounter farms and villages. In the past six years, 26 people in the region have lost their lives in tiger encounters.

 

This has fuelled:

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• Fear within communities

• Anger toward forest authorities

• Mistrust about wildlife management

 

Many villagers must enter forests for fuel wood collection, placing them at risk.

 

Training programmes therefore serve a dual purpose: livelihood creation and wildlife education.

 

Changing Perceptions of Tigers

 

Historically, the tiger was revered in local culture under various deity names such as Waghoba and Puliyal Devta.

 

Yet rising encounters have complicated this relationship.

 

Through ecotourism training, women and youth learn:

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• That predators do not attack without cause

• How to interpret animal behaviour

• That habitat loss contributes to conflict

• Practical safety strategies in tiger landscapes

 

Guides become educators, not only for tourists but for their own communities.

 

Exposure to wildlife through guiding has reshaped perspectives. Participants describe a deeper understanding of animal vulnerability and the emotional impact of witnessing both life and death in the forest.

 

The Wider Impact of Community-Based Ecotourism

 

Satpuda Foundation has trained over 8,000 young people, including approximately 3,500 women.

 

Beyond guiding, initiatives include:

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• Hospitality training

• Forest protection roles

• Seed funding for small enterprises

• Souvenir shops run by women’s self-help groups

 

The forest department has also supported:

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• Low-interest loans for safari jeeps

• Infrastructure such as shop sheds

• Employment pathways linked to tourism

 

Additional projects such as dairy farming, poultry, agro-tourism and fisheries aim to reduce pressure on forest resources and discourage migration.

 

Wildlife experts suggest that similar models could be scaled across India, particularly in regions where protected areas intersect densely populated rural communities.

 

The Ongoing Challenge

 

While livelihood integration is vital, structural conservation issues remain.

 

True long-term solutions require:

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• Protection and restoration of wildlife corridors

• River conservation

• Limiting habitat encroachment

• Balanced infrastructure planning

 

In a country as populous as India, conservation must operate within landscapes where people and wildlife coexist closely.

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Why This Matters to Last Chance to Paint

 

The future of the tiger cannot be separated from the future of the people living alongside it.

 

This story demonstrates that conservation succeeds when:

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• Livelihoods align with ecosystem protection

• Women are included in economic opportunity

• Youth see value in staying within their communities

• Education replaces fear with understanding

 

As we share India’s tiger forests with schools around the world, we must also share the human stories shaping those forests.

 

You can read the full original article by Priyamvada Mangal here:

https://themigrationstory.com/post/in-the-land-of-mowgli-women-find-rare-entry-into-ecotourism-jobs/

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