Bandipur National Park

Bandipur National Park is situated in the Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, Southern part of India. It is one of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in India established in 1931 and a protected reserve for tigers. It was built under the Project Tiger for the preservation of the tigers in their natural habitat. The park covers an area of 874 sq km (337 sq mi).

Nestled well amidst the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway, the Deccan Plateau houses one of the first Tiger Reserves of the country - The Bandipur National Park. Situated in Karnataka, the Bandipur National Park includes the neighbouring wildlife sanctuaries of Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala. A moderate climate and diverse geographical features support a remarkable variety of flora and fauna. Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the 15 sanctuaries belonging to the Project Tiger Scheme launched in 1973, by the World Wide Fund for Nature. In 1974, the Bandipur was declared a National Park under the Wildlife Protection Act. The Bandipur National Park is one of its own kind in Asia as it has huge elephant herds.

History of Bandipur National Park

It was established by the Maharaja of Mysore in the year 1931 with an area of only 90 sq km. Later, it was expanded to 800 sq km and was named the Venugopala Wildlife Park then. The place Venugopala is named after the Lord of the local shrine located at Gopalswamy Betta. The park was re-named in the year 1973 when the Government of India took over this property, under the Project Tiger establishing it as a Tiger Reserve.

Flora and Fauna in Bandipur National Park
The Bandipur National Park is covered with a mix of deciduous forests, evergreen forests and scrub, which is provided by the waters of the Moyar River. The major types of fauna in this reserve are the Asian elephant, gaur, sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four horned antelope, wild pig, black naped hare and the Indian porcupine. Apart from being home to the Asiatic elephant, Bandipur also has a large number of tigers, which count around 66 in number. The scrub jungles consist of stunted trees, bushes and open grassy patches. In the northwestern area, the vegetation contains the open dry deciduous forests to tropical mixed deciduous forests.

Avian Population in Bandipur National Park
The Bandipur region is also rich in avian population. Peafowl and the game birds like the grey jungle fowl, red spur fowl etc. are the most common avians found in the national park. The Kabini backwaters and the larger tanks attract cormorants, ducks, herons, teals, and waders. Among the woodland birds the hawk eagle, serpent eagle, the collared scops owl, the yellow-legged green pigeon, parakeets, woodpeckers and barbets, hornbills, drongos, scarlet minivets, and diverse warblers can be easily seen in the national park.

When to Visit Bandipur National Park Bandipur is a tourists' paradise from April to October. During summer, the backwaters of the Kabini Reservoir provide the best opportunity to the tourists to observe large mammals, especially the elephant and the gaur. The best time to spot elephant herds is in the rainy season. Other animals found in this forest are gaur (a type of bull), sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild boar, jackal, sloth bear, panther, Malabar squirrel, porcupines, and the black-naped hare.

General Information
You cannot tour the national park in your private vehicles are not allowed to tour the park. The tourists can go around the park in the forest department jeeps and vans. The elephant rides are also organised by the Forest Department for an hour (or more) or so. One can also book a 'Machan' near the watering hole to have a close view of the animals. The tourist places near the Bandipur National Park are Gopalaswami Betta and Rolling Rocks. These places are certainly picturesque and photogenic.