Anshi National Park and Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve (Kali Tiger Reserve)
Anshi National Park is located on the banks of Kali River in the Western Ghats. It is a part of the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary.
Anshi National Park and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary were together granted the status of Project Tiger Tiger Reserve, and were declared as ‘Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve’ (which is now renamed asKali Tiger Reserve).
Major Fauna: Elephant (EN), Bengal tiger (EN), black panther (black colour variant of leopard; VU), wild boars, bonnet macaque, Malabar civet, Malabar giant squirre.
Major Avifauna: Adjutant stork, great hornbill.
Bandipur National Park, Tiger Reserve
Together with Nagarhole National Park, Mudumalai National Park (TN) and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala), it is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
Kabini River (a tributary of the Cauvery River) separates the National Park from Nagarhole National Park.
Vegetation: Dry & moist deciduous forests, and shrubs.
Major Flora: Teak, rosewood, sandalwood, clumping bamboo, Indian laurel and kadam tree.
Major Fauna: Indian elephants, gaurs, tigers, sloth bears, chausinghas, dholes, chital, sambar, gray langurs.
Threats: Wildlife fatalities by speeding vehicles, cattle grazing, transmission of diseases from cattle to wildlife, deforestation and habitat fragmentation, and invasive species (e.g, Lantana and Parthenium).
There is a ban on traffic from 9 pm to 6 am of dusk to dawn to help bing down the death rate of wildlife.
Bannerghatta National Park
It is part of a wildlife corridor for elephants which connects Biligirirangana Hills and Sathyamangalam forest.
Vegetation: Moist deciduous forest and scrubland.
Major Flora: Sandalwood, bamboo, eucalyptus.
Major Fauna: Elephants, Bengal tiger, gaur, leopard, sloth bear, Indian gazelle, spotted deer, bonnet macaque.
Major Avifauna: Flamingo, pelican.
Threats: Illegal mining of graniteclose tocritical elephant corridors inside the National Park.
A portion of the National Park is converted into Bannerghatta Biological Park. The Biological Park has a zoo, a butterfly enclosure, a snake house and a safari park. It shelters mammals such as Indian tigers and lions.
It is about 100 km to the east of Kudremukh National Park. It is surrounded by scenic hills, including the Baba Budangiri hills. Mullayanagiri peak (1,930 m) in the Baba Budangiri hills is the highest peak in Karnataka.
Hebbe Falls and Manikyadhara Falls are located on the periphery of the sanctuary.
Vegetation: Semi-evergreen & moist deciduous forests, and shola grasslands.
Major Flora: Kadam, teak, Indian-laurel, rosewood.
Threats: Iron ore mining, tourism and related construction, the tribal population in the park.
Biligiri Ranganatha Temple TR, Wildlife Sanctuary
It is the starting point ofEastern Ghats. The Biligiri Ranganatha Hills (BR Hills) connect Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats, and facilitates gene flow between populations of species in these areas.
Vegetation: Evergreen, deciduous, sholas, and grasslands.
Major Fauna: Wild elephants, tiger, gaur, sambhar, chital.
Threats: Iron ore mining, tourism and related construction, tribal population in the park.
Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park, Tiger Reserve
It is located in the foothills ofWestern Ghats.
It is recognized as an Important Bird Area.
JenuKurubas(honey-collecting tribe) live in this park.
Vegetation: Moist & dry deciduous forests, swamp forests, and bamboo.
Major Flora: Rosewood, teak, sandalwood and silver oak.
Major Fauna: Bengal tiger, leopard, Indian elephant, chital, chausingha, gaur, mugger (marsh crocodile).
Threats: Tourism, fragmentation of forests, poaching.
In 2020, the pictures of rare black panther Saya caught on camera by photographer Shaaz Jung from the dense forests of Nagarhole went viral.
Q. Which of the following Protected Areas are located in the Cauvery basin?
Nagarhole National Park
Papikonda National Park
Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
1 and 2 only
3 and 4 only
1, 3 and 4 only
1,2,3 and 4
Answer: (Hill in Kannada ==>Betta; Telugu ==> Konda; Tamil ==> Malai); c) All except Papikonda National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka
Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located in the Western Ghats and is the only known breeding area ofWroughton’s free-tailed bat (CR).
It is contiguous to Madei Wildlife Sanctuary (Goa), Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park (Goa) and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary(Karnataka).
Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located in the Western Ghats and is contiguous with the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala.
It is located 15 km from the World Heritage Site of Hampi.
It was created for the preservation of the sloth bear (VU).
Ghataprabha Bird Wildlife Sanctuary
Its boundaries enclose a stretch of about 28 km of the Ghataprabha River (a tributary of the Krishna River).
Gudavi Bird Wildlife Sanctuary
It is a small seasonal lakelocated in Shimoga district.
Gudekote Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary
It was created exclusively for the preservation of sloth bear (VU). It is to the south of Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary.
Kamasandra Wildlife Sanctuary
It is recently declared Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located at trijunction of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu.
Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located in the Eastern Ghats. It has Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka) to its north and east, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve(TN) to its south and BR Hills Temple Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) to its west.
Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary
It is situated in Mandya district. It was declared as a sanctuary to protect the habitat of Grey Wolf.
It derives its name from the KollurMookambika Temple.
It lies in the Western Ghats and famous Kodachadri Hillsare located in the sanctuary.
Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary
Pushpagiri (Kumara Parvatha,1712 m) is the highest peak in the Wildlife Sanctuary. Mallalli fallsand Kote abbe falls(or Mukkodlu falls) are located inside the Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ranebennur Blacbuck Wildlife Sanctuary
It was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary mainly to protectblackbucks (LC). Great Indian bustardsare also observed here.
Ranganathittu Wildlife Sanctuary (BS)
It is also called Pakshi Kashi of Karnataka located near the historic town of Srirangapattana (near Mysore).
It is the largest Bird Sanctuary in the stateand comprises six islets on the banks of theCauvery River.
Major Fauna: Smooth coated otter, common palm civet, mugger crocodile.
Major Avifauna: Painted stork, Asian openbill stork, common spoonbill, woolly-necked stork, black-headed ibis.
It receives thousands of migratory birds from Siberia, Latin America and parts of north India during winter.
It experiences heavy flooding when water is released from Krishna Raja Sagara dam (on Cauvery River) upstream.
It is located inDavanagere district. It is the only sanctuary for four-horned antelopes (chausingha, VU) in Karnataka.
Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Sharavati, a westward flowing river, lies entirely in the Western Ghats. The famous Jog Falls is formed by this river. Linganamakki Reservoiris a major part of the Sharavati Valley.
Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary
It is contiguous with the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve. The Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is a part of the Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary.
Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary
It lies in the Western Ghats. Agumbe (the Cherrapunji of South India)is located in this Wildlife Sanctuary.
Yadahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary
It is WLS forchinkaras (Indian Gazelle; LC). It is the first chinkara sanctuary in Karnataka.
Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary
It is the place considered to be the source of the river Kaveri. It is located on Brahmagiri hills.
Thimlapura Wildlife Sanctuary
It is a conservation reserve for bears in Tumkur district.
Yadahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located inBaglkot district.
It is established to protect chinkaras (Indian Gazelle; LC).
Others
Adichunchunagiri (Peacock) Wildlife Sanctuary (BS): Located in Mandya district.
Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary: Located in Mysore district.
Attiveri Bird Wildlife Sanctuary: Located in Uttara Kannada district.
Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary: It is a dryland Wildlife Sanctuary in Kalburgi district.
Jogimatti Wildlife Sanctuary: A hill station and forest reserve in Chitradurga district.
Kappathagudda Wildlife Sanctuary: A forest in Gadag district facing a serious threat from illegal mining.
Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary: It is situated north of Bandipur National Park in Mysore district.
Ramsar Sites of Karnataka (1)
Ranganathituu Bird Sanctuary (IBA)
It is a part of the Kaveri River in Mandya district.
