Bandipur national park, Karnataka

Bandipur National Park

National park in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka

Bandipur National Park, an 874 sqkm forested reserve in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is known for its small population of tigers. Once the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Mysore, the park also harbors Indian elephants, spotted deer, gaurs (bison), antelopes and numerous other native species. The 14th-century Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple offers views from the park's highest peak.

Address: Gundlupet Taluk, Chamarajanagar District, Bandipur, Karnataka 571126

Area: 874 km²

Bandipur National Park

( ಬಂಡೀಪುರ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಉದ್ಯಾನ)

is  established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, is a national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka. It was once a private hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore but has now been upgraded to Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Bandipur is known for its wildlife and has many types of biomes, but dry deciduous forest is dominant.

The park spans an area of 874 square kilometers (337 sq mi), protecting several species of India's endangered wildlife. Together with the adjoining Nagarhole National Park (643 km² (248 sq mi)), Mudumalai National Park (320 km² (120 sq mi)) and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (344 km² (133 sq mi)), it is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve totaling 2,183 km² (843 sq mi) making it the largest protected area in southern India and largest habitate of wild elephants in south Asia.
Bandipur is located in Gundlupet taluq of Chamarajanagar district. It is about 80 kilometers (50 mi) from the city of Mysore on the route to a major tourist destination of Ooty.As a result, Bandipur sees a lot of tourist traffic and there are many wildlife fatalities caused by speeding vehicles that are reported each year.There is a ban on traffic from 9 pm to 6 am of dusk to dawn to help bring down the death rate of wildlife.