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About
Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary
T he
Bandipur National Park is one of the most intriguing wild-life
centers. Established in 1931 by the Mysore Maharajhas, this park is
nestled in the foothills of the Nilgiris.
This stretches along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and 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, 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 northwestern fringes, there is a gradual shift in the
vegetation from open dry deciduous forests to tropical mixed deciduous
forests. These diverse habitats support an e normous
diversity of animal life.
It is one of the larges habitats in south India for the elephant which
may be encountered regularly. There are good chances of spotting wild
dog, gaur, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, chausingha, bonnet
macaques and the giant squirrel. The elephant rides are a wonderful
way to get a feel of the jungle and view the birdlife. The flora and
fauna here exist in perfect harmony. And it is because of this that
the spot here was chosen as the centre for the Project Tiger. And
since then the Tiger population has almost doubled.
The ideal time to visit the Bandipur National Park is between the
months of April and October. With the onset of pre-monsoon showers in
April, the resident birds commence their breeding activities. The air
is filled with their melodious calls. Sprouting grass in the meadows
and view lines attract elephants and the majestic gaur in large
numbers. This unique feature makes a breathtaking spectacle, and is
almost the only one of its kind in Asia. |
