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Bandipur National Park

Bandipur Tiger Reserve is situated in Mysore district of the Indian state of Karnataka. This Reserve was among the first nine Tiger Reserves created in India at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973.

It is contiguous to the Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Indian sate of Tamil Nadu to its south and to the Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary in the Indian state of Kerala to its southwest. To its north lies a vast stretch of cultivated land. To its west lies cultivated land and habitation of the state of Kerala at a distance of eight kilometers, separated form the Reserve by the Kannegala stream. To its northwest lies the Nagarhole National Park.

The topography of the Reserve is gently undulating, broken by chains of hills, flat-topped hillocks and stream and rivulets. The highest hill is called the Gopalaswamy hill.

The Reserve receives rainfall from both the southwest monsoon and in the months of October-November from the northeast monsoon. The highest precipitation is in its western portion in Banugadde and the lowest is in the eastern portion at Moyar.

The main rivers of the Reserve are the Nugu, Kabini and Moyar. These rivers are perennial. The Nugu River flows through the middle of the Reserve, whereas the Moyar river forms its southern boundary with the Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kabini River, across which a major irrigation dam has come up at Beechanahalli, forms the boundary between this Reserve and the Nagarhole National Park of Karnataka. The Kabini reservoir provides water facility and grazing ground on the foreshore for period. There are several seasonal streams viz., Wadli, Chammanahalla, Aidasanahattihalla, Hebballa, Warranchi, chippanahalla and Mavinahalla. In addition, there are hundreds of ponds and small tanks well distributed all over the area.

This Reserve is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the first 'Biosphere Reserve ' in India.

Archaeological Richness
Venugopala Swami Temple atop the Gopalaswamy hill.

Forest Types
Dry Deciduous Scrub
Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest
Southern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest

General Information :
Best Time to Visit : March to August.
Nearest Town : Gundulpet (20 km)
How to Get Here :
Air : Bangalore (190 km)
Rail : Mysore (65 km)



Flora of Bandipur
Tectona grandis
Dalbergia latifolia
Pterocarpus marsupium
Adina cordifolia
Grewia tilifolia
Emblica officinalis
lagerstroemia lanceolata
Terminalia lonentosa
Anogeissus latifolia
Terminalia chebula
Schleichera trijuga
Okina wodier
Butea monosperma
Cassia fistula
Dendrocalamus strictus
Bambusa arundinacea
Chloroxylon sweitenia
Acacia catechu
Shorea talura
Randia uliginosa


Fauna of Bandipur
Tiger
Leopard
Elephant
Indian Bison
Sambar
Spotted deer
Sloth bear
Mouse deer
Wild dog
Four-horned Antelope


Wildlife Conservation in Bandipur
A Sanctuary with 90sq. km. area was created in the Bandipur Reserve Forest in 1931. It was realized that this Sanctuary was too small for effective conservation of wildlife. Therefore, the Venugopala Wildlife Park was constituted in 1941, extending over 800 sq. km. The Bandipur Tiger reserve was constituted by including most of the forest area of the Venugopala Wildlife Park and its sanctum sanctorum at Bandipur, in the year 1973 and named Bandipur National Park.

All the forests included in the Reserve are reserved forests notified prior to independence. Notification for the proposed Bandipur National Park was issued in 1985. The final notification is still pending.


Suggested Tours : Indian Wildlife Tour : Wildlife Tour of India and Nepal : Special Birding Tour with Bird Guide : Tiger Safari Packages in India India : Extensive Tiger Tour of North India : Tiger Safari Packages in India with Taj

Bandipur National Park : Fact File : Flora of Bandipur : Fauna of Bandipur: Map of Bandipur : Wildlife Conservation in Bandipur