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There are plenty of activity options opened for you within the Indian
Wild life Sanctuaries and they are not just restricted to watching
the animals and birds. |
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Home >> Wildlife National Parks India >> Bandipur National Park
Bandipur National Park
About Bandipur National Park
The Bandipur National Park is one of the most intriguing wild-life locales.
Established in 1931 by the Mysore Maharajahs, this park is nestled in the
foothills of the Nilgiris. Stretching along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border,
the park lies on the Mysore-Ooty highway. It has an excellent internal network
of roads through its hilly, forested landscape, and the many water holes
and salt licks that provide wonderful opportunities for wildlife viewing.
The scrub jungles towards the eastern limits of the park consist of stunted
trees, interspersed with bushes and open grassy patches. Towards its north-western
fringes, there is a gradual shift in the vegetation from open dry deciduous
forests to tropical mixed deciduous forests. These diverse habitats support
an enormous diversity of animal life.
It is one of the largest habitats in south India for the elephant which
may be encountered regularly. The elephant rides are a wonderful way to
get a feel of the jungle and view the avian wildlife. The flora and fauna
here exist in perfect harmony, one of the major reasons why the site was
chosen as the centre for Project Tiger, a step which has shown a positive
impact on the Tiger population in the area.
Wildlife Attractions in Bandipur National Park
Flora
The landscape of the park is generally even with the exception of the north-eastern
part where it is mostly rocky and barren with thorny vegetation. The Kabini,
Nagu, Mule-hole and Moyar rivers criss-cross the entire park providing irrigation
for the thick vegetation that include trees like Teak, Honne, Tadasalu,
Mathi, Nandi, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Bamboo, Nelli, Kooli, Kadu Tega, Dindalu,
Bende and Randia.
Fauna
The park houses a large variety of animals which make your chances of animal
sighting brighter, while at the same time the thick forest cover may prevent
you from having a dekko at the king of beasts, the Tiger. Some prominent
denizens of the park include Leopards, Elephants, Gaurs, Sambar, Chital,
Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Black Napped Hare, Sloth Beer, Wild dog, Langur,
Bonnet Macaque, Indian Giant Red Squirrel, 4 Horned Antelope, Porcupines,
Slender Loris, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Rusty Spotted Cat, Small Indian
Civet, Palm Civet, Common Otter, Wild Boar, Jackal, Mongoose, Flying Squirrels,
Pangolin, Giant Fruit Bats and Striped Hyenas. Commonly sighted reptiles
include Marsh Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards, Rock Pythons, Russel's Vipers,
Cobras, Rat Snakes, Wolf Snakes, Vine Snakes, Common Kraits, Green Keelbacks,
Bamboo Pit Vipers, Turtles and Flying Lizards.
Avian Residents
Besides a large variety of animals, the park also has a thriving bird population,
prominent among those are Serpent Eagles, Shaheen Falcons, Crested Hawk
Eagles, Ospreys, Gray Headed Firhings, Honey Buzzards, Malabar Pied Hornbills,
Hill Mynas, King Vultures, Malabar Trogon, Gray Partridges, Black Woodpeckers,
Indian Pittas, Paradise Flycatchers, Pea Fowl, Cormorants, Teals, Ducks,
Herons, Waders, Gray Jungle Fowl, Red Spur Fowl, Blue Bearded Bee-Eaters,
Parakeets, Lesser Coucals, Scarlet Minivets, Fairy Blue Birds, Scimitar
Babblers, Malabar Whistling Thrushes, Green Imperial Pigeons, Nightjars
and Owls.
Safaris
Jeep and elephant safaris are two major means of moving around inside the
park. A jeep safari lets you experience the thrill of watching the wild
animals at close quarters but it may sometimes be a deterrent as the noise
it creates may scare away the animals or still worst may make them aggressive.
Elephant safari is the best and most exciting option to get at close proximity
to animals. It is the best option for bird watchers as there is no noise
that would scare away the avians of the park. Rides into the park on especially
laid out roads, called the 'game roads' that offer excellent views of wildlife.
The visitors can enjoy safaris twice a day, once in the morning and then
during the evening.
Other Attractions
Bandipur National Park is suitably located for wildlife enthusiasts as it
is close to three other wildlife reserves of Mudumalai, Nagarhole and Wayanad.
The important tourist destinations of Bangalore, Mysore and Coimbatore are
also located nearby. The Vrindavan Gardens, located en route to Mysore is
also a good option with its dancing fountains and multi colored lights.
The enchanting hill towns of Ooty and Wellington are a good getaway option
during the hot summer months. A visit to the fort of Tipu Sultan at Shrirangapatna
provides useful insight into the history of the area.
How to Get there
By Air : The nearest airport is situated at Bangalore.
Indian Airlines flies to Bangalore from Delhi and Mumbai seven days a week.
The departure timings from Delhi are 6:15, 16:30 and 19:55 and from Mumbai
6:15, 9:30, 13:30, 17:30 and 20:45. From Bangalore one can drive down to
Mysore and take one of the frequently operating buses or a private taxi
to reach Bandipur. The taxi charges range between Rs. 1200 to 2000.
By Rail : The nearest railhead is Nanjangud town (55 km/
1.5 hrs) but it is advisable to travel to Mysore which is the most convenient
airport. The Swarna Jayanthi Exp. (Dep. 6:00, Mon) connects Delhi with Mysore.
Mumbai is connected through the Sharavathi Exp. (21:30, Tue), while Chennai
is connected through the Mysore Exp. (21:45, Daily). Another option would
be to travel to Bangalore which is conveniently connected to most of the
Indian cities through regular trains. Buses and private taxis can be easily
hired from Bangalore or Mysore to reach Bandipur. Taxi charges from Mysore
range around Rs. 400.
By Road : Bandipur National Park is located on the main
Mysore-Ooty highway. The most convenient way to reach Bandipur from Bangalore
is to drive to Mysore and take the Ooty road from there and drive via Nanjangud
and Gundlupet from where the park is just a 30 min drive. A place worth
visiting at Nanjangud is the Nanjundeshwara temple. Regular KSRTC buses
and taxis are easily available from Bangalore. Taking an early morning bus
to Mysore and changing to an Ooty bus there is the best option. The average
time taken to reach Bandipur by road from Bangalore is around 5-6 hours.
Distances from Major Cities
Mysore : 80 km (S)/ 2 hrs.
Ooty : 76 km (N)
Coimbatore : 164 km (NW)
Mudumalai : 11 km (S)
Bangalore : 230 km (SW)/ 5 hrs. |
