Bandipur

Part of the lushly-forested Deccan Plateau, Bandipur, in Karnataka, offers a rich and varied wildlife habitat. It is a part of a larger national park, which also includes the neighbouring wildlife sanctuaries, of Mudumalai Tamil Nadu and Wynad in Kerala. This sanctuary is one of the 15 sanctuaries selected across India for Project Tiger, a scheme launched in 1973, by the World Wide Fund for Nature - India, to save the tiger and its habitat. Covered with a mix of deciduous forests, evergreen forests and scrub, and well - irrigated by the Moyar river, Bandipur has a fairly open forest area, making it easy for visitors to spot wildlife.

This sanctuary sprawls over an area of 874 sq. kilometres. The prominent fauna of this reserve, include the Asian elephant, gaur, sambar, chital, mouse deer, four horned antelope, wild pig, black naped hare and the Indian porcupine. It is warm for most part of the year in this area. During the months of October to March, the weather is cool and pleasant. The ideal time for viewing the wildlife, is during May and June, and again from September to November.

Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar (deer), Chital, Sloth bear, Mouse deer, Wild dog, Wild boar, Barking deer, Four horned Antelope, Hyena.

Endangered species : Tiger, Four horned Antelope, Gaur, Elephant, Panther, Sloth bear, Crocodiles, Mouse deer, Python, Osprey,

Birds: Grey Junglefowl, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Honey Buzzard, Red-headed Vulture, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Brown Hawk Owl, Bay Owl, Malabar Trogon, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Little Spiderhunter, Plain Flowerpecker.

Reptiles: King Cobra, Common Cobra, Python, Adder, Viper, Rat Snake, Water Snake, Marsh Crocodile, Lizard, Chameleon, Monitor Lizard, Frog, Tree frog, Toad and Tortoise.