Introduction
Part of the massive 5,520 km2. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve comprising the complex of Wyanad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, the entire forested hill slopes of Nilambur, the Upper Nilgiri plateau,
Silent Valley and the Siruvani hills, Bandipur National Park ( 874 km2) lies
at the confluence of the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills in Mysore District of the State of Karnataka. A Project Tiger Reserve, Bandipur is contiguous to the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary to its south and to the Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary to its south-west. The Nagarahole National Park lies its northwest.
Biogeographically, Bandipur is of the Malabar Rainforest type comprising primarily of dry deciduous forest. The terrain here is undulating comprising a chains of hills, flat-topped hillocks and water-courses with altitudes ranging from 400m to 1,450m. The area is drained by the Kabini, Nagu, Mule-hole and Moyar rivers
and by the Bavali, Moole-hole, Kekkanalla, and Marandi streams. One of the main water bodies present in the park is the Kabini reservoir which separates Bandipur from the Nagarhole reserve. Underlying rocks are mainly metamorphic and the soil is a mixture of red laterites and black cotton soil.
Vegetation:
Though mainly a dry deciduous forest, three main types of vegetation can be found:
- Dry deciduous scrub in the eastern portion
- Southern tropical/Dry deciduous forest in the central portion
- Southern Tropical Moist Mixed deciduous in the western part
The Park flora consists mainly of Tectona grandis, Dalbergia latifolia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Adina cordifolia, Grewia tiliaefolia, Amblica officianalis, lagerstroemia lanceolata, Terminalia tomentosa, Anogeisus latifolia, Terminalia chebula, Schleichera trijuga, Odina wodiar, Butea monosperma, Cassia fistula, Dendrcalamus strictus, Bambusa arundinacea,Chloroxylon swetenia, Acacia catechu, Shorea talura, Randia uliginosa. These are interspersed with Savannah Grasslands and lantana
weed which is much in evidence all over the Park.
Avifauna:
Bandipur is rich in bird life and many of the regions endemics can be seen on a trip to the Park. It is a good place to see Red Spurfowl, Grey Junglefowl, Malabar Pied and Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Parakeet, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, The Crested variety of the Changeable Hawk Eagle, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Mottled
Wood Owl, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Indian Swiftlet, Jerdon's Bushlark, White-bellied Drongo, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Rufous Babbler, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Indian Scimitar Babbler and Malabar Trogon. The road to Ooty is good for White-bellied Minivet, Grey-headed Bulbul, Malabar Lark and Malabar Whistling Lark.
How to reach:
Bandipur National Park is located on the highway connecting Mysore and Ootacamund (Ooty). It takes 2½ hours to reach Bandipur from Mysore and
about 3 hours from Ooty. The nearest important rail junction is Mysore and the nearest international airport is Bangalore.
Distances: Bangalore - Bandipur (via Mysore) : 220kms
Mysore - Bandipur: 65kms
Ooty - Bandipur: 80kms
Coimbatore - Bandipur: 170 kms
Contact:
Field Director
Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Govt. of Karnataka
Sandalkopti-Premises,
Aranya Bhavan, Ashokpuram Mysore-577101
Tel: 0821-480901; Fax: 0821-480901
email: fdptrm@sancharnet.in
Where to stay:
Jungle Lodges and Resorts:
Bandipur Safari Lodge
Melukamanahalli (Mysore - Ooty Road)
Gundlupet Taluk
Chamarajanagar District
Karnataka
Reservation : bandipur@junglelodges.com
Tel: 91 - 8229 - 633001
Alternatively contact:
1) Jungle Lodges & Resorts Ltd.
2nd Floor, Shrungar Shopping Centre M.G. Road
Bangalore - 560 001, Karnataka
Email: info@junglelodges.com
Tel: 91 - 80- 25597021
2) Swarna at
swarna@wildventures.com
Tel: 91 98457-40848
To know more about alternative accommodation please visit the
Karnataka Tourism site
Longitude: 76°07' - 76°52' E;
Latitude: 11°37' - 11°54' N
Rainfall: 625 mm - 1250 mm
Temperatures: Min 10°C;
Max 33°C
Best Season: Open through the year, the best season is March to August.
Websites
Project Tiger: Bandipur
101 Birds of Bandipur National Park
Sumit K Sen
Kolkata, India
