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Introduction
Bandipur
Tiger Reserve situated in Mysore District of Karnataka State of
India was among the first nine Tiger Reserves created in India
at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973. It is contiguous to Madhumalai
Wildlife Sanctuary in 
Tamil
Nadu state to south and Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala state
to the south-west.To the north-west lies Nagarhole National Park.
The highest peak is Gopalaswamy hill.
The main perennial rivers of the Reserve are Nugu, Kabini and
Moyar. The Nugu river flows in the middle of the Reserve. Whereas,
the Moyar river forms the southern boundary between this reserve
and Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kabini river, across which
a major irrigation dam has come up at Beechanahalli, forms the
boundary between this Reserve and Nagarhole
National
Park of Karnataka. The Kabini reservoir provides water facility
and the grazing ground on the foreshore, for hundreds of elephants
during severe and prolonged pinch period. Seasonal streams like
Wadli, Chammanahalla, Aidasanahattihalla, Hebballa, Warranchi,
Chippanahalla and Mavinahalla are also present.
There are a few natural & artificial saltlicks available in the
Reserve and are being regularly used by the wild animals. This
park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve - the first 'Biosphere
Reserve' of India.
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Conservation
History
A
Sanctuary of 90 sq. km. area was created in Bandipur Reserve Forest
in 1931. Venugopala Wildlife Park was constituted in 1941, extending
over 800 sq. km. The Park was named after the deity, Venugopala
of the shrine atop this hill.
Bandipur Tiger reserve was formed by including most of the forest
area of the then 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 proposed Bandipur National
Park was issued in 1985.
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Census
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1991
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1993
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1995
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1997
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Archeology
Venugopala
Swami Temples
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Forest
Types
Dry
deciduous scrub, Southern tropical/Dry deciduous & Southern Tropical
Moist Mixed deciduous forests cover the reserve area.
Major
Flora
Main
Species
Tectona
grandis, Dalbergia latifolia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Adina cordifolia,
Grewia tiliaefolia, Amblica officianalis, lagerstroemia lanceolata,
Terminalia tomentosa, Anogeisus latifolia, Terminalia chebula,
Schleichera trijuga, Odina wodiar, Butea monosperma, Cassia fistula,
Dendrcalamus strictus, Bambusa arundinacea,Chloroxylon swetenia,
Acacia catechu, Shorea talura, Randia uliginosa
Major
Fauna
Main
Species
Tiger,
Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Spotted deer, Sloth bear, Mouse
deer, Wild dog, Four horned Antelope.
Endangered
Species
Tiger,
Four horned Antelope, Gaur, Elephant, Panther, Sloth bear, Crocodiles,
Mouse deer, Python, Osprey, Pea fowl.
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Management
Practices,
Achievements and Shortfalls
The
protection measures undertaken against cattle grazing, smuggling
of forest produce, forest fires and poaching right from the creation
of the 
Reserve
have resulted in improvement of vegetation and multiplication
of wild animals. The forest which were once hacked by the local
villagers have responded extremely well in the form of spectacular
natural regeneration of bamboo and other species with significant
improvement in the canopy cover. Improvement of the floral composition
supports larger number of wild animals. Gradual increase in the
density of wild animals in general and the tigers in particular,
natural regeneration of vegetation, improvement of water regimes,
microclimate, ecology, environment and reduction in loss of soil
run-off are major achievements.
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Special Projects
Salim
Ali Institute of Ornithology (SICON), Comibatore : Habitat changes
in the Reserve.
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore : Man-Animal Conflicts
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore : Mites.
New Initiatives
Eco-development
To
reduce the pressure on the Reserve by the people living adjacent
to the park, eco-development works are being carried out in and
around the villages situated on the periphery of the Reserve.
Protection Squads / Patrolling
14
patrolling camps have been established to check the poaching of
wild animals.
Education and Awareness
Environmental
awareness camps for school children and teachers are being conducted
regularly.
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Constraints
Human population
There
is no settlement inside the Reserve. 200 villages situated adjacent
to the Reserve (within 5 km.) with a human population of around
1,60,000 (1991 census) lead to the problem of illicit collection
of fuel wood and smuggling by head loads near Hnagala, Channamalllipur
and Bargi. The commercial use of fuel wood for tobacco and turmeric
curing is also going up.
Livestock population
The
prevalence of illicit grazing in the fringes is by 1,80,000 (1991
census) livestock heads.
Grazing
Core
of the reserve is more or less free from grazing pressure but
there are 1,80,000 cattle heads in the five-kilometre radius of
the Reserve. The prevalence of illicit grazing of livestock from
the villages on the periphery of the Reserve affects the habitat
and is potential source of diseases for the wild animals. About
one third of the Reserve area is affected by cattle and 
has
become unsuitable for the wild herbivore. The elephants, which
were in the habit of foraging in the fringe in the rainy season,
now visit cultivated areas outside the Reserve for foraging, and
thus cause severe conflicts between people and the Reserve. Hence,
the problem of cattle grazing is an issue, which needs special
attention to resolve the conflict and also to reduce the pressure
on the Reserve.
Fire
The
Reserve suffers from frequent fires due to accumulated leaf litter
and deadwood on the floor. Most of the fires are ground fires
and man-made for the following reasons:
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1.
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Villagers
induce early flush of grass, on receipt of showers, for
grazing of domestic animals.
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2.
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Tribals
clear the dry grass and undergrowth for collection of fallen
antlers of deer and N.T.F.P.
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3.
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Smoking
and carelessly throwing lighted cigarette and bidi butts.
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4.
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Poachers |
Poaching of fauna and flora
The
poaching of male elephants for ivory has been a major problem
of this Reserve. The local people also connive and sometimes indulge
in elephant poaching. Smuggling of timber, small poles and bamboo,
and removal of firewood by head-loads is also prevalent.
Poaching
of wildlife
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Year
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Elephants/other animal
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Offence cases during 1993-98
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Nature of Offence cases
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No.
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| Elephant Poaching offence |
7 |
| Timber Smuggling |
280 |
| Sandal Wood Smuggling |
1 |
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| Total |
288 |
Criminals and Extremists
During
October 1997, notorious poacher and sandal wood smuggler, Veerappan,
kidnapped some staff members and tourists from the tourism zone,
who were fortunately released after a fortnight but the threat
remains.
Highways
State
highways Mysore-Ooty and Gundlupet-Sultanbathery are passing through
the Park. Traffic is very heavy and occasional accidents of wild
animals take place during night.
Diseases
Localised
foot rot to spotted deer was noticed in the tourism zone around
Bandipur in 1997.
Weeds
Invasion
of habitat by the exotic plants like Lantana and Eupatorium has
reduced fodder availability.
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Conflicts
Man-Animal
Man-Animal
conflicts are quite common in the Reserve due to depredation by
the wild animals outside the Reserve
Man-Forest
The
park is under tremendous pressure of the problems like grazing,
illegal removal of timber, NTFP, poaching of elephants for ivory
and other animals for meat, forest fires and encroachment.
Wild Animals-Forest
No
serious damage to the forest by wild animals has been observed
so far and it is not a cause for concern at present.
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Action
Points
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1.
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The
present policy in National Park needs to be reviewed and
management interventions like eradication of exotic weeds
in selected patches, removal of fallen timber in the fire
lines and view lines, de-silting of waterholes, thinning
of teak plantations and sowing of bamboo seeds in suitable
areas are needed.
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2.
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Fire
protection needs to be addressed on an intensive scale.
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3.
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Poaching
and smuggling are to be tackled on a war footing by creating
more anti-poaching and anti-smuggling camps in vulnerable
areas. Allocating infrastructure, arms and ammunition, wireless
sets, vehicles and maintenance of road in the interior are
important. Creation of Task Force to the Tiger Reserve headed
by 1 RFO, 2 Forester, 4 Guards and Watchers with vehicle
and wireless sets.
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4.
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Creation of 190 km. long barrier along the northern border
of the Reserve and agriculture lands through ETP and solar
powered fencing and prompt payment of compensation for damages
to locals should receive top priority. This is the main
demand of the people at the village contact meetings. This
requires a huge amount of fund.
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5.
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Anthropogenic
pressures need to be addressed effectively through cattle
immunisation.
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6.
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Education
and awareness programmes should be intensified through environmental
education, nature interpretation centre and mobile publicity
van.
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7.
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Management oriented research should be undertaken.
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