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Nestled
in the picturesque greens between the Western Ghats and the
Nilgiri Hills, in the state of Karnataka, Bandipur
National Park has been the
hunting preserve of the erstwhile Maharajas of Mysore. The
park spreads over 900sq. km of extensive greenery interrupted
by a chain of hills, stream and rivulets. Popularly known
for its largest population of Asiatic
elephants, Bandipur is also among
the first nine tiger reserves in India under the Project
Tiger.
Before being declared
as a National Park, Bandipur
used to be a sanctuary of 90 sq. km., brought out by the efforts
of the royal family of Mysore. Later for effective wildlife
conservation, the sanctuary has been extended
to another 800 sq. km. by merging the Venugopala Wildlife
Park. At present Bundipur National
Park along with the adjacent Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
of Tamil Nadu, the Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala and
the Nagarhole National Park to the northwest forms the most
extensive cover of protected forest in India and the entire
area makes for the vast Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
It is the magnificent topography and excellent network of
roads within the jungle that make Bandipur
National Park
one of the finest and most accessible natural habitats for
wildlife enthusiasts today. Though most of the wild inhabitants
of the park can be spotted without much of an effort, but
certain animals like the elusive tiger is still a difficult
sight in offer, due to the kind of forest cover. The best
ways to explore the park is on the elephant back.
For the daring, a night vigil in a watchtower or machan can
be of great interest. Boating
and angling options are also available
within the park area.
The major fauna attractions of Bundipur includes the tiger,
elephants, leopards, chital, mouse deer, gaurs, barking deer,
sambar, black napped hare, sloth beer, languor, bonnet macaque,
Indian giant red squirrel, porcupines, four- horned antelope,
wild boar, Otter, and different
species of cats and mongoose.
The area is also a paradise for
bird watchers with a whole range
of avian population.
Apart from wild inhabitants, the area is also a photographer’s delight. It boasts of some of the most picturesque landscapes like the rolling rocks to the south of the forest with panoramic view of the 260 meter deep Mysore Ditch and the Moyar Gorge.
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