The
Bandipur National Park is one of the mainly enthralling
wild life centers, recognized in 1930's by the
Maharajahs of Mysore. It was on one occasion the
Mysore private hunting park of the Maharaja.
Afterward in 1941, it was extended to adjoin the
Rajiv Gandhi National Park (
Nagarhole) in the northwest and
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala in the southwest and
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary of
Tamil Nadu in the south which at the moment collectively comprise of the
Niligiri Biosphere Reserve.
Bandipur located in the southern state of
Karnataka. It has its stretch all along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and is placed on the
Mysore - Ooty highway and covering a forest region of 874.2 square kilometers and 780-1455 m above sea level. The temperature in Bandipur varies between 10 degrees and 35 degrees centigrade. The park has an usual annual rainfall of 1200mm.
In 1973 Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as a
tiger reserve of India. It became one of the sanctuaries selected across India for
Project Tiger Scheme by the
World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature.The project is designed to
save the tiger and its natural habitat from potential dangers. In 1974, the Bandipur was declared as a
National Park under the
Wildlife Protection Act.
The Bandipur National Park is encircled with an admixture of evergreen forests, diversity of animal species and rivers. It chiefly consists of intermediate sized hills with moderate slopes and petty, profoundly forested valleys with a significant diversity of flora and fauna.
The forest cover up is extremely dense with vegetation like
Teak, Honne, Tadasalu, Mathi, Nandi, Rosewood, Sandalwood,
Bamboo, Nelli, Kooli, Kadu Tega, Dindalu, Bende, Randia and Flame of the Forest creating up a foremost portion of the variety.
Some of the most important
ani
mal species originate in the park are Tigers, Leopards, Elephants, Gaurs, Sambar, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Chital,
Black Napped Hare, Sloth Beer, Bonnet Macaque, Wild dog (Dhole), Langur, Indian Giant Red Squirrel, Four Horned Antelope (Chausingha), Porcupines, Slender Loris, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Rusty Spotted Cat,
Small Indian Civet, Palm Civet, Common Otter, Wild Boar, Jackal, Four varieties of Mongoose,
Flying Squirrels, Pangolin, Giant Fruit Bats and Striped Hyenas.
Accomodation In Bandipur National Park
A large number of these species are found close to the accommodation amenities obtainable in the park. In order to get a nearer view of the animals, one can reserve a '
Machan' near the watering hole.
In excess of 230 species of
birds have been recognized in the park. A quantity of the mainly noteworthy ones are the Serpent Eagles, Shaheen Falcons, Crested Hawk Eagles, Ospreys, Honey Buzzards, Gray Headed Firhings, Malabar Pied Hornbills, Stork, Egret, Kite, Peafowl, Lapwing, Sandpiper, Drongo and the warbler, Hill Mynas, King Vultures, Malabar Trogon, Gray Partridges, Black Woodpeckers, Indian Pittas, Paradise Flycatchers, Cormorants, Teals, Ducks, Herons, Waders, Gray Jungle Fowl, Red Spur Fowl, Blue Bearded Bee-Eaters, Parakeets, Lesser Coucals, Scarlet Minivets, Fairy Blue Birds, Malabar Whistling Thrushes, Scimitar Babblers, Green Imperial Pigeons, Nightjars and Owls.
The
Reptile family is formed by marsh Crocodiles, Rock Pythons, Russell’s Vipers, Monitor Lizards, Cobras, Rat Snakes, Wolf Snakes, Indian python, Vine Snakes, Common Kraits, Green Keel backs, Bamboo Pit Vipers, Turtles, Flying Lizards and lots of other varieties of snakes.
In addition the animals, the park provides supplementary places of
tourism which are quiet interesting such as the
Gopalaswami Betta and the
Rolling Rocks the uppermost peak in the Bandipur range. Gopalaswami Betta provides a sight of the Mysore plateau and its adjacent hills. The Rolling Rocks, to the south of the forest, present views of the 260 meter profound
Mysore Ditch and the complete
Moyar gorge. The whole park is soundly irrigated by four rivers, which are Nagu, Kabini, Mule hole and Moyar.
Kabini dam that keeps apart Bandipur from the Nagarhole reserve where as The Moyar River acts as a periphery between the park and the
Madhumalai Sanctuary.
Bandipur is one of the most excellent
game sanctuaries in India to scrutinize and for
photography of wildlife in close up immediacy. All tourists to Bandipur have to get admission permits at the entry point to the park. The cost is around Rs 150 for foreigners and significantly less for Indians. Supplementary charges are levied for
cameras, vehicles, and rides on elephant or jeep.
Private vehicles are not permissible inside the park. The barely means of transportation within the park are uncovered van and jeep run by authorities of the park. These vehicles are accompanied by its own knowledgeable guide to spot and identify wildlife. The Forest Department also makes arrangements for elephant rides of nearly an hour or more for each ride, which takes one deep into the forest. All these rides move about into the park twice each day, in the early hours of morning and towards afternoon. Human loitering in the park is not permitted after dark. Accommodations in the
Forest Rest house for should be held in reserve well in advance at the
Forest Office in Bangalore or Mysore.
How to Reach Bandipur Tiger Reserve
Air: The adjacent airport to the park is located at Mysore situated 80 kms from the park.
Rail: The closest
Railway Station to the park is located at Nanjungud 55 kms away followed by the Mysore station at a remoteness of 80 kms.
Road: The park is situated on the highway linking Mysore and Ooty (80 kms). There are regular buses and easily available taxis from all the neighboring cities, chiefly Mysore, 80km away which is 2 -3 hour journey by road and Bangalore which is at a distance of 220 kms from Bandipur.
Contacts: o Office of the
Field Director,
Project Tiger, Aranya Bhavan,Ashokpuram,
Mysore - 570 008
Phone : 0821-2480901
Mysore – 570 008
TeleFax: 0821-480901
o The Chief Wildlife Warden,
Aranya Bhavan,
18th Cross, Bangalore
Phone: 23341993
o
Karnataka TourismNo. 49, 2nd Floor,
Khanija Bhavan
Race Course Road
Bangalore - 560 001
India.
Tel : +91 80 2235 2828
Fax : +91 80 2235 2626
