| Location
of Bandipur National Park: |
District
Chamarajanagar, Karnataka, India |
| Area covered: |
874 sq. km. |
| Main Wildlife Found
in Bandipur National Park: |
Asian
Elephant and Gaur |
| Best time to visit
Bandipur National Park: |
Sep
to Dec (The park may be closed between
Feb and April) |
Bandipur Tiger Reserve situated in Mysore
District of Karnataka State of India was among
the first nine Tiger Reserves created in India
at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973.
Bandipur
National Park is a beautiful forest reserve
located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.
This national park occupies a special place
in India’s efforts towards natural conservation.
It was created in the 1930s from the local
Maharaja Voodiyar’s hunting lands, and named
Venugopal Wildlife Park. Bandipur National
Park was expanded later in 1941 to adjoin
the Nagarhole National Park, which lay towards
its northern edge, and Wynad and Madumulai
Sanctuaries, which lay towards its southern
edge in the states of Kerala and Tamilnadu,
respectively. The entire area now constitutes
the vast Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, one of
India's most extensive tracts of protected
forest.
Bandipur
National Park - a part of the Project
Tiger, covering an area of 803 sq. kilometres
is a true delight for the enthusiastic and
genuine naturalist and lovers of wild life.
Situated adjacent to the Wayanad plateau of
Kerala, Bandipur National Park is a rich deciduous
forest. It is located at an average elevation
of 3500 ft. providing a salubrious climate
to the Tiger, the Panther, Elephants, Gaur
(Indian bison), Sambar, Sloth Bear, Wild Boar,
Chital (spotted deer), Kakar (mountain deer),
Wild Dog and a host of other mammals and birds.
Pythons, Cobras, Kraits, Vipers and other
reptiles may also be observed here with fascination.
Bandipur National Park was established in
1931 as a sanctuary, 1941 as a national park,
1973 as a tiger reserve. The drier south-east
corner of Bandipur National Park has scrub
forests. During the dry months of March-May,
Indian Elephants stay close to rivers and
lakes.
Access to Bandipur National Park -
219 km from Bangalore 80 km from Mysore.
Weather and Best Season to Visit:
The region is warm and comfortable for most
parts of the year with temperatures ranging
from 24 to 28°C, except for the brief
winter that lasts from October to January
when the temperature hovers around the 19°C
mark. Monsoon is erratic, but it generally
rains from June to September.
The best season to visit would be from March-July
and September-November.
Accommodation facilities near Bandipur
National Park - Mysore Guest House, Bombay
Tourist Lodge, Bamboo Bank Farm House, Forest
Lodge.
