Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Bandipur Tiger Reserve, situated in the Mysore District of Karnataka State, was among the first nine Tiger Reserves established in India at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973. It is contiguous with Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu state to the south and Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala state to the southwest. To the northwest lies Nagarhole National Park. An area of 90 Sq.km. was declared as “Venugopala Wildlife Park” by the Princely State of Mysore in 1941 under the Mysore Game and Forest Preservation and Regulation Act, 1931. Later, this Wildlife Park area was increased to 800.00 Sq.km. by adding adjoining forest areas in 1942. A more significant portion of the protected Wildlife Park was included in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in 1973. The final notification of the Bandipur National Park, which is the core area of the Tiger Reserve, was issued in 2001. Of this, an area of 3.20 Sq.km. in Begur Reserve Forest and 4.28 Sq.km. of Katwal Reserve Forest have been excluded, which were earlier released for indigenous rehabilitation. In addition, an area of 0.30 Sq.km. of forest land was set apart for the existing Sanctum Sanctorum of Gopalaswamy Betta Temple. The Reserve is located in the Wayanad plateau, characterized by several Swamps and Vayals of varying size, which serve as wallowing grounds for the herbivores like Guar, Sambar, Wild Boar, Etc. Major rivers that traverse the Reserve are Nugu, Kabini, and Moyar. It has been part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve since 1986. Bandipur Tiger Reserve predominantly consists of tropical deciduous forests and dry-deciduous scrub forests.

Description

State : Karnataka

District : Mysore and Chamarajanagar

Coordinates : 11.7788° N, 76.4647° E

Area : 1456.30 Sq.km.

TR Notification year : 1973-1974

Tiger Population : 126 (All India Tiger Esitmation, 2018)