Sauraha elephant safari caught between animal welfare and livelihoods

Local entrepreneurs call for phased transition after Supreme Court’s order to shift to ethical tourism.

Sauraha, the country’s major tourist destination in Chitwan, has long been synonymous with elephant safaris. For decades, foreign and domestic tourists visiting Sauraha adjacent to the Chitwan National Park have mounted elephants to traverse the buffer zone’s community forests in search of rare wildlife.