Conservation History in Bandipur
While tracing the Conservation History of Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary, what deserves to be mentioned first and foremost is its year of inception. Covering an area of 90 sq km, this sanctuary located in the Mysore district of Karnataka, was set up in the year 1931.
It was created within the premises of the Bandipur Forest Reserve. Within a very short period of time it was realized by the authorities that the area was inadequate for an effective preservation of wildlife. What followed was the decision to set up the Venugopala Wildlife Park. The Venugopala Park covering a much larger area of 800 sq km was set up after a gap of ten years in the year 1941. This wild life park was named Venugopala after the presiding deity of the shrine located on top of the hill.
| India Wildlife Holidays |
This remained the status quo for many years to follow. Then what happened was an epoch making event in the Conservation History of Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary. Project Tiger was launched by the Indian government in the year 1973 with a view to protecting the endangered tiger. Bandipur Tiger Reserve was one amongst the nine tiger reserves which were created then.
It was formed after inclusion of the Venugopala Wild Life Park and integral parts of the Bandipur Forest Reserve and named Bandipur National Park. The forests which form a part of the Bandipur Forest Reserve are notified reserved forests. They were notified even before independence that is in the first half of the nineteenth century itself.
In the year 1985, a notification was issued for the proposed Bandipur National Park. It is rather unfortunate that the notification is still pending else that would have been even yet another important landmark in the Conservation History of Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary.
Indian Holiday provides detailed information on the Conservation History of Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka and offers on-line booking for tours to the Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka.
| Census |
| Animals | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 |
| Tiger | 58 | 66 | 74 | 75 |
| Pathher | 51 | 81 | 86 | 88 |
| Elephant | 1107 | 2214 | 2214 | 3471 |
| Gaur | 1097 | 1373 | 1373 | 2427 |
| Wild Dog | 148 | 181 | 181 | -- |
| Spotted Deer | 3333 | 3333 | 5858 | 8204 |
| Sambar | 706 | 1196 | 1196 | 2386 |
| Four Horned Antelope | 14 | -- | -- | -- |
| Common Langur | 1468 | 1751 | 1751 | -- |
| Wild Boar | 148 | 181 | 181 | -- |
| Barking Deer | 72 | 131 | 131 | -- |
| Mouse Deer | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Chital | -- | -- | -- | 8204 |
| Porcupine | -- | -- | -- | -- |
