Flora and Fauna in Bandipur National Park, Karnataka
Bandipur National Park, formerly known by Venugopala Wildlife Park in Karnataka is the most stunning forest store that is working under natural conservation. This park came into existence in the year 1930 that was one of the hunting places of Maharajah Wodeyar.
In the year 1941 they joined with the neighboring Nagarahole national park and expanded its area and d formed the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: a complete land that protected forests. In the year1973 it came to be called as Tiger Reserve.
Location: Lies on the Indian Deccan plateau of Karnataka and about 82 kms from Mysore and Ooty. It covers an area of about 875.30 sq kms.
Reaching
By Air: Nearest airport is in Bangalore that is just 217 kms from Bandipur.
By Rail: Mysore railway station is the nearest one of about 76 kms.
By Road: It is well connected with the highways of major cities like Bangalore, Mysore and Ooty with about 218 kms from Bangalore and 78 kms from Mysore and Ooty i.e. about 5 hours of journey. You can catch the private or government buses from any of these places.
Ideal Time to Visit:
Plan your trip to this place in the in the months of April and October as the summers is too hot, the temperature ranges from 25-30 degree Celsius and winters, the temperatures falls to 15 degree Celsius. Rains are obviously wobbly, so can trust on this time and visit during the Rainy season.
Accommodations:
You can find some cottages that come under the rule of first come first serve. You can choose the private lodgings also.
Travel Tips:
Wear cotton clothes in summer and woolen clothes during winters. And one must not forget raincoats or umbrellas in the rainy season.
Major Attractions
Flora: Various breeds of Timber trees like the Teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian-laurel, Indian-Kino tree, giant clumping bamboo and grewia tiliaefolia is found at this place. You also get to see flowering plants and trees and some Fruit trees like Kadam tree, Indian-gooseberry, crape myrtle, axle-wood, black myrobalan, satinwood, black cutch, indigo-berry and many more.
Fauna: Wild animals like the elephants, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, chevrotain, gaur, and sambar, hital, wild boar, barking deer, osprey and many unfamiliar species are found here. Beautiful and rare birds like the grey junglefowl, pompadour green pigeon, Nilgiri flycatcher, little spider hunter, plain flowerpecker, peacock, red headed vulture and brown hawk owl. Reptiles like cobra, python, rat snake, crocodile, water snake, lizard, chameleon, tortoise etc and rare species of insects are also found here.