Nagarahole-Kodagu/Mysore

Nagarhole National Park, also known as 'Rajiv Gandhi National Park,' is located 94 km from Mysore in Karnataka in Southern India. It is spread between Kodagu and Mysore districts. Located to the northwest of Bandipur National Park, Kabini reservoir separates the two. The exclusive hunting reserve of the former rulers of Mysore, the park has rich forest cover, small streams, valleys, and waterfalls. It streches over 640 km², protecting the wildlife of Karnataka. Together with the adjoining Bandipur National Park (870 km²) and Mudumalai National Park (320 km²), it forms the largest protected area in southern India.

The place derives its name from Naga meaning snake and hole referring to streams. Set up in 1955, it is one of the best-managed parks in the country, with the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests situated in Hunsur, about 47 km away from Nagarhole. The climate is tropical; summer is hot and winter is pleasant. The park has a healthy tiger-predator ratio, and tiger, bison, and elephant are much more populous here than in Bandipur.

The park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (6,000⁺ km²), including all of Nagarhole National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

Terrain

The vaegetation consists mainly of moist mixed deciduous forest (Tectona grandis, Dalbergia latifolia) in the southern parts, dry tropical forest (Wrightia tinctoria, Acacia) towards the east, and Sub mountain hill valley swamp forest (Eugenia). The main trees found are Rosewood, Teak, Sandalwood and Silver oak. The southern parts, near the border to Bandipur National Park are generally drier than the northwestern parts.

Fauna and flora

Nagarhole has a quite big elephant population, tigers, leopards, wild dogs, and sloth bears are found in viable numbers. The large predators prey on a varitey of ungulates, like gaur, sambar deer, chital (spotted deer), common muntjac, four-horned antelope, mouse deer and wild boar. Gray langurs, lion-tailed macaques and bonnet macaques represent the primates in the park. On the surrounding hills outside the park occurre Nilgiri tahrs and Nilgiri langurs.

Climate

In summer the temperature is usually around 33 °C. Winter lasts from November to January and has the temperature dipping to 04 °C. Generally, it rains from June to September.