Wildlife activists express concern over Bear Grylls shooting with Rajanikanth

Bengaluru: Wildlife activists have expressed concern over ace adventurer Bear Grylls shooting his show featuring superstar Rajinikanth at Bandipur Tiger Reserve during the “fire season”.

“It is disturbing to learn that Bear Grylls was in Bandipur along with superstar Rajinikanth, they are welcome to Bandipur at any point of time. But at this critical time when the entire forest force is worried about the fire- as this is the fire season, and they need to be working, people were there giving them security. This is not we expect of sensible people to do,” Joseph Hoover, a city-based wildlife activist, said.

Noting that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted them the permission, in a video statement, he said, “That’s fine, but there has to be some sensibility that they cannot be involved in such shooting, during a fire season.”

Calling it a “critical time”, while pointing out that 4,800 hectares of forest land were lost last year due to the ‘negligence’ of the forest department, he said they are doing a fantastic job this year, but added that these type of intrusions are not going to help forest at all.

“If the government is keen on promoting wildlife tourism, they should first protect the forest, they could have done it at any other time during monsoon or after the monsoon. The Ministry of Environment and Forest and the Karnataka forest department need to be clear about when they need to do and how to go about it. It is very disappointing,” he added.

Amid reports that shooting was done in Kalkere and Moolehole ranges in Bandipur, some activists pointed out that even tourism is not allowed in the area and expressed reservation over the permission granted to them.

Noting that there was valid permission to carry out shooting, forest department officials have said, “The shooting started on Tuesday and would go on till Thursday.”

“The forest department has imposed several conditions while permitting the shooting such as filming at own risk and not allowing the crew to use explosives and inflammable materials,” according to officials.

Rajinikanth is the second high profile figure in the country to appear in the Grylls show after Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The actor had returned to Chennai last night after finishing the shooting of an episode.

“After our episode with Prime Minister @NarendraModi of India helped create a bit of TV history, (3.6 billion impressions), superstar @Rajinikanth joins me next, as he makes his TV debut on our new show #IntoTheWildWithBearGrylls on@DiscoveryIN #ThalaivaOnDiscovery” Grylls tweeted on Wednesday.