Nestled well amidst the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway, the Deccan Plateau houses one of the first Tiger Reserves of the country - The Bandipur National Park. Situated in Karnataka, the Bandipur National Park includes the neighbouring wildlife sanctuaries of Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala. A moderate climate and diverse geographical features support a remarkable variety of flora and fauna. Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the 15 sanctuaries belonging to the Project Tiger Scheme launched in 1973, by the World Wide Fund for Nature. In 1974, the Bandipur was declared a National Park under the Wildlife Protection Act. The Bandipur National Park is one of its own kind in Asia as it has huge elephant herds.

Flora and Fauna in Bandipur National Park
The Bandipur National Park is covered with a mix of deciduous forests, evergreen forests and scrub, which is provided by the waters of the Moyar River. The major types of fauna in this reserve are the Asian elephant, gaur, sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four horned antelope, wild pig, black naped hare and the Indian porcupine. Apart from being home to the Asiatic elephant, Bandipur also has a large number of tigers, which count around 66 in number. The scrub jungles consist of stunted trees, bushes and open grassy patches. In the northwestern area, the vegetation contains the open dry deciduous forests to tropical mixed deciduous forests.

Avian Population in Bandipur National Park
The Bandipur region is also rich in avian population. Peafowl and the game birds like the grey jungle fowl, red spur fowl etc. are the most common avians found in the national park. The Kabini backwaters and the larger tanks attract cormorants, ducks, herons, teals, and waders. Among the woodland birds the hawk eagle, serpent eagle, the collared scops owl, the yellow-legged green pigeon, parakeets, woodpeckers and barbets, hornbills, drongos, scarlet minivets, and diverse warblers can be easily seen in the national park.

When to Visit Bandipur National Park ?
Bandipur is a tourists' paradise from April to October. During summer, the backwaters of the Kabini Reservoir provide the best opportunity to the tourists to observe large mammals, especially the elephant and the gaur. The best time to spot elephant herds is in the rainy season. Other animals found in this forest are gaur (a type of bull), sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild boar, jackal, sloth bear, panther, Malabar squirrel, porcupines, and the black-naped hare.

How to Reach Bandipur National Park ?
by Air : The Bangalore airport is the nearest airport and is 220 kms away from Bandipur.

by Rail : The nearest railhead is Nanjangud, 55 kms away followed by the Mysore station at a distance of 80 kms. One can easily hire a taxi or catch a bus or train from Mysore or Ooty.

by Road : The Bandipur National Park is 220 kms from Bangalore; 80 kms from Mysore and 80 kms from Ooty. The Gundulpet town is 20 kms away from Bandipur and is the nearest road head in Bandipur. The national park is well connected through road with every big or small town.