BANDIPUR NATIONAL PARK (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: A proposal for a 236 kilometre broad-gauge railway line that will run through Bandipur National Park has conservationists rallying to protect the protected area.

Bandipur National Park

• Established: In 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park

oExpanded with the name Bandipur Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1973.

• Location: Two contiguous districts (Mysore and Chamarajanagar) of Karnataka and located at the tri-junction area of the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala
• Rivers: It is surrounded by River Kabini in its north and River Moyar in its south.
• Vegetation: Dry deciduous to tropical mixed deciduous.
• Flora: Rosewood, Indian kino tree, sandalwood, Indian laurel, clumping bamboo, giant clumping bamboo etc.
• Fauna: Wild Asian elephants, bengal tiger, gaur, sloth bear, golden jackal, dhole, four-horned antelope, etc.

Other Tiger Reserves in Karnataka

• Bhadra Tiger Reserve
• Nagarahole Tiger Reserve
• Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve