Nagarhole National Park

Nagarhole National Park
	Nagarhole National Park
	IUCN Category II (National Park)
	; Elephant in musth at Nagarhole
Location	Mysore District, India
Nearest city	Mysore, India
Coordinates	12°5′0″N 76°15′0″E / 12.08333°N 76.25°ECoordinates: 12°5′0″N 76°15′0″E / 12.08333°N 76.25°E
Area	643 km²
Established	1988

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Spotted deer in Nagarhole

Male gaur in Nagarhole National Park

Map of the area

Nagarhole is a good place to spot Asian wild dogs

Nagarhole National Park, also known as 'Rajiv Gandhi National Park,' is located 94 km from Mysore in Karnataka in Southern India. It is spread between Kodagu and Mysore districts. Located to the northwest of Bandipur National Park, Kabini reservoir separates the two. The exclusive hunting reserve of the former rulers of Mysore, the park has rich forest cover, small streams, valleys, and waterfalls. It stretches over 640 km², protecting the wildlife of Karnataka. Together with the adjoining Bandipur National Park (870 km²) and Mudumalai National Park (320 km²), it forms the largest protected area in southern India.

The place derives its name from Naga meaning snake and hole referring to streams. Set up in 1955, it is one of the best-managed parks in the country, with the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests situated in Hunsur, about 47 km away from Nagarhole. The climate is tropical; summer is hot and winter is pleasant. The park has a healthy tiger-predator ratio, and tiger, bison, and elephant are much more populous here than in Bandipur.

The park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (6,000⁺ km²), including all of Nagarhole National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.^[1]

[edit] Terrain

The vaegetation consists mainly of moist mixed deciduous forest (Tectona grandis, Dalbergia latifolia) in the southern parts, dry tropical forest (Wrightia tinctoria, Acacia) towards the east, and Sub mountain hill valley swamp forest (Eugenia). The main trees found are Rosewood, Teak, Sandalwood and Silver oak. The southern parts, near the border to Bandipur National Park are generally drier than the northwestern parts.

[edit] Fauna and flora

Nagarhole has a quite big elephant population, tigers, leopards, wild dogs, and sloth bears are found in viable numbers. The large predators prey on a variety of ungulates, like gaur, sambar deer, chital (spotted deer), common muntjac, four-horned antelope, mouse deer and wild boar. Gray langurs, lion-tailed macaques and bonnet macaques represent the primates in the park. On the surrounding hills outside the park occurre Nilgiri tahrs and Nilgiri langurs.

Chital herd, Nagarahole WLS, Mysore District

Elephant herd, Nagarahole WLS, Mysore District

Natures call!!, Gaur herd, Nagarahole WLS, Mysore District

Sambar mother and fawn, Nagarahole WLS, Mysore District

[edit] Climate

In summer the temperature is usually around 33 °C. Winter lasts from November to January and has the temperature dipping to 04 °C. Generally, it rains from June to September.

[edit] Inhabitants

Tribes like Jenu Kurubas (honey-gatherers), the Betta Kurubas (hill tribes), and the Hakki-Pikki (bird trappers) inhabit this park.

[edit] Tourism

Nagarhole boasts a luxury wildlife resort, Kings Sanctuary Resort, Nagarhole (kabini) designed for nature lovers and eco-tourists. The resort is only one hour from Mysore and 190 Kms or 4 hour drive from Bangalore. The wildlife safaris organised by the resort are excellent and among the longest safari drives in South India for over 3.5 hours in silent Gypsy— vehicles.

A good time to visit Nagarhole National park is around the year, unlike Ranthambore or Corbett. Since the weather is ambient and sighting is unique in each season due to migration of wildlife in search of water and food depending on the season. Except for Tigers, which are territorial and stay in the same range throughout the— year.

[edit] References

^ UNESCO, World Heritage sites, Tentative lists, Western Ghats sub cluster, Niligiris. retrieved 4/20/2007 World Heritage sites, Tentative lists

[edit] Literature

K K Gurung & Raj Singh: Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent, Academic Press, San Diego, ISBN 0-12-309350-3
William Riley, laura Riley: Nature's Strongholds. The World's Great Wildlife Reserves. Princeton University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-691-12219-9