Fast Facts:
Location: The Kemmannagudi district of Karnataka
Area: 540 square kilometers
Nearest Airport: Mysore
Nearest town: Kollegala
Safari: Jeep safaris and elephant rides
Entry fee: INR 100, per person
Best time to visit: June to October
Number of mammal species: 26 species
Number of Avifauna species: 254 species of birds
B.R. Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kemmannagudi district of Karnataka is located at an above sea level of 5,091 feet and is an amazing place to explore the wildlife of the region. Spread in an area of 540 square kilometers, the sanctuary is situated between the Eastern and Western Ghats on the banks of the Cauvery river. Consisting of deciduous forests and shoals, the sanctuary is home to a good population of Chital and Gaur. In December 2010, the park was declared a tiger reserve.
Climate
The temperature of the sanctuary falls between 20 degree Celsius to 38 degree Celsius in summers between the months of April and June and ranges between 16 degree Celsius to 9 degrees Celsius in the winters between the months of November to February. The sanctuary receives an annual rainfall of around 300 centimeters.
Wildlife
The most noticeable mammals in the sanctuary are wild elephants, walking in herds. Along with this, if a recent survey is to be believed, there are around 17 tigers inside the sanctuary. This wildlife reserve is also home to a good population of the largest bovines, Gaur. There are around 26 species of mammals that have been recorded inside the B. R. Wildlife Sanctuary. Some of them are Chital, sambhar, barking deer, rare four-horned antelope cats, leopard, sloth bears, and wild dogs. As far as arboreal mammals are concerned, 2 species of primates and 3 species of squirrels have been found here.
The sanctuary is home to as many as 254 species of birds including White-winged Tit or Parus nuchalis.
In recent times, a new species of a microhylid frog Microhyla sholigari have been discovered, named after the Soligas, the tribe of the hills.
Flora in B.R. Wildlife Sanctuary
B.R. Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Charnocktite hills and are enclosed by tropical dry forest and is a part of the South Deccan Plateau eco-region. The range of forests include scrub forests, tall deciduous forests, shola forests and montane grasslands.Between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, the forest has an excellent population of Asian Elephants and tigers in the southern part of India.The forests harbor has around 800 species of plants from different families.
Wildlife Safaris and Recreational activity inside the park
The best way to explore the park through jeep safaris and elephant safari. Enjoy spotting animals wandering fearlessly in their natural turf. Please take note that seeking prior permission from the forest department at Chamrajnagar is required.
The sanctuary is the perfect place to partake in various kinds of recreational activities such as river rafting, angling, bird watching, amateur fishing, coracle boat rides, river rafting, outdoor camping trekking, outdoor camping and more.
Entry fee
The entry fee to visit the park is INR 100, per person.
Best time to visit
B.R.Wildlife Sanctuary is open all throughout the year, but the best time to visit the park is between the months of June and October.
Around B.R. Wildlife Sanctuary
Originally known as Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, B.R. Wildlife Sanctuary is also popular for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or Venkatesha , located the white cliff, which is the highest peak of the hill range.
People and culture
For around 100s of years, this area has been the home to the semi-nomadic Soliga tribe. Yelandur, Chamrajanagar and Kollegal along with foothills of Biligirirangan as well as Male Mahadeshwara are inhabited by around 20,000 people of Soliga tribe.
How to Reach
By Road (From Bangalore): Begin driving the Bangalore – Mysore highway and arrive at Maddur. Once you cross Maddhur, turn left and continue driving till you arrive at Malavalli. Drive past Malavalli and arrive at Kollegala town. From here B.R. Wildlife sanctuary is just 30 minutes away. If you are coming from Coimbatore, you can opt for KSRTC or TNSTC buses to arrive in Chamarajanagar. The buses ply in every 20 minutes.
By train: The nearest railway station is in Chamarajanagar, which is at a distance from 40 kms. On a daily bases, 6 trains connect Chamarajanagar to Mysore and Tirupati through Bangalore.
By Air: The nearest international airport to B.R. Hills is Bangalore International Airport, which is around 220 kms away and is well-connected to all the prime destinations of India. Another airport is Coimbatore Airport,185 km away which is connected well to all metro cities of thw country
General tips
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