Bandipur National Park - It is Considered as one of the best administrative parks of India.

BANDIPUR NATIONAL PARK

AT

CHAMRAJNAGARA 

Bandipur National Park was once the hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. Established in the year 1974 as a forest tiger reserve under the Project Tiger, Bandipur is the most prominent national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka and is best known for its varied wildlife boasting different biomes in the dry deciduous forest. It is considered as one of the best managed parks of India.

Located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park covers an area of about 874.2 sq km.

Bandipur also has a sizable number of Tigers. Other natural inhabitants of this lovely forest are gaur (a type of bull), sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild dogs, wild boar, jackal, sloth bear, panther, malabar squirrel, porcupines and the black-knapped hare. Birds like jungle fowl and green pigeon are also found here.

The Bandipur Sanctuary was created by the Maharaja of the kingdom of Mysore in the year 1931. It was during that period when only 90 sq km of the area was being used and was named as Venugopala Wildlife Park. In the year 1973 around 800 sq kms of area was introduced to the Venugopala Wildlife Park and was established as Bandipur Tiger Reserve under the tiger project.

Later Bandipur National Park joined its hands with its other neighboring parks, the Nagarhole National Park (643 sq km), Madumalai National Park (320 sq km) and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (344 sq km) together to form the essential part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve making the area as the largest wildlife protected zone.

The Bandipur National Park is the region always accosted with tremendous counts of wildlife species including varied mammals and vulnerable kinds of species like Bonner Macaque Nilgiri Langur (adjoining areas), Dhole, Common Palm, Civet, Smooth-coated Otter, Stripe-necked Mongoose, Jungle Cat, Tiger, Wild Boar, Chital, Gaur, Grizzled Indian Squirrel, Liontail Macaque, Indian Palm, Giant Flying squirrel, Golden Jackal, Sloth Bear, Indian Grey Mongoose, Striped Hyaena, Ratel, Indian Spotted Chevrotain, Rusty-spotted Cat, Sambar, Nilgiri Tahr (adjoining areas), Indian Porcupine, Hanuman Langur, Bengal Fox, Eurasian, Otter Small Indian Civet, Ruddy, Leopard, Cat Leopard, Indian Elephant, Four-horned Antelope, Indian Muntjac, Indian Pangolin, Mongoose, Indian Hare Red, Indian Giant Squirrel with more species on the list.

By Air

The nearest airport is at Bangalore which is 220 km from Bandipur.

By Rail

Mysore is nearest railhead, at a distance of 80-kms.

By Road

220 km from Bangalore; 80 km from Mysore and 80 kms from Ooty.