Bandipur National Park was once the hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. Established in 1974 as a forest tiger reserve under Project Tiger, Bandipur is the most prominent national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka and is best known for its varied wildlife, boasting different biomes in the dry deciduous forest. It is considered one of the best managed parks in India. The park stretches across an area of 874 sq km with the great objective of protecting endangered species like tigers and elephants in this region, along with protecting and restricting the overuse of the sandalwood trees in the reserve area. Around 80 km from the city of Mysore on the way towards Ooty, one of the major hotspots of the area, Bandipur National Park brings a warm and comfortable climate throughout the year with a normal temperature range of 24 to 28°C to enjoy the tourists for a marvelous wildlife tour. The monsoon is erratic here, but it generally rains from June to September to bring more lush varieties around the reserve areas.
The Bandipur Sanctuary was created by the Maharaja of the kingdom of Mysore in the year 1931. It was during that period that only 90 sq km of the area was being used and was named Venugopala Wildlife Park. In the year 1973, around 800 sq km of area was introduced to the Venugopala Wildlife Park and was established as Bandipur Tiger Reserve under the Tiger Project.
The Bandipur National Park is the region that is always accosted with tremendous counts of wildlife species, including varied mammals and vulnerable kinds of species like:
Bandipur National Park is regarded as one of the most beautiful and well-managed national parks in India. Located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park covers an area of about 874.2 sq km. Together with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, and Nagarhole National Park in the North, it creates India's biggest biosphere reserve, popularly known as the 'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve'.
The Bandipur National Park occupies a special place in India's efforts towards eco-conservation. Bandipur also has a sizable number of tigers. Other natural inhabitants of this lovely forest are the gaur (a type of bull), sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild dogs, wild boar, jackal, sloth bear, panther, malabar squirrel, porcupines, and the black-knapped hare. Birds like jungle fowl and green pigeons are also found here