PM Modi goes on jungle safari at Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka

Chamarajanagar, Apr 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a “safari” at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghats on Sunday, as part of programmes to mark 50 years of “Project Tiger ‘.

Modi, dressed in a speckled safari clothing and hat, reportedly covered about 20-km distance in the open jeep, during the Safari at the Tiger Reserve, located partly in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district, and partly in H.D.Kote and Nanjangud taluks of Mysuru District.

“Spent the morning at the scenic Bandipur Tiger Reserve and got a glimpse of India’s wildlife, natural beauty and diversity”, Modi tweeted.

On his arrival at Melukamanahalli helipad, the Prime Minister travelled by road to Forest Department’s reception centre at Bandipur, where he paid respects to a forest martyrs memorial nearby, before leaving for Safari in the forest department’s jeep.

Modi shared pictures of Safari on his twitter account in which he can be seen standing in the open jeep, and with a camera and binoculars. He also shared pictures of elephants, langurs, spotted deers, and baisons.

According to the state forest department, the National Park was formed by including most of the forest areas of the then Venugopala Wildlife Park established under the government notification dated February 19, 1941 and the area was enlarged in 1985 extending over an area of 874.20 Sq.Km and named as Bandipur National Park.

The reserve was brought under ‘Project Tiger’ in 1973. Subsequently, some adjacent reserve forest areas were added to the reserve extending to 880.02 Sq. Km. The present area under the control of Bandipur Tiger Reserve is 912.04 Sq. Km.

An area of 39.80 sq km of KFDC (Karnataka Forest Development Corporation) plantation area was handed over to this division during 2007-08. During 2010-11, the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary was handed over to the Wildlife Division, Mysuru, the department said.

Bandipur National Park is an important part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve that constitutes Karnataka’s Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarahole) to its Northwest, Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary to its South, and Kerala’s Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary to its Southwest.

Once the private hunting grounds of the erstwhile Maharajas, and nestled in the foothills of the Nilgiris, Bandipur has had a long tryst with tigers. One of the 30 reserves identified across the country to save the Tiger and its habitat, it’s also one of the last refuges of the endangered Asiatic wild elephant, according to the state Tourism department.

Apart from the two famed residents (tigers and elephants), a number of other endangered species such as sloth bears, gaurs, Indian rock pythons, jackals, muggers, and four-horned antelopes can be spotted in this national park.

Over 200 species of birds and a diversity of flora add to its attraction. Bandipur also supports a wide range of timber trees including teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian-laurel, Indian Kino tree, giant clumping bamboo.