Source: TH
Context: Concerns have been raised over the proposed land grants within the core area of Nagarahole National Park (Nagarahole Tiger Reserve), specifically in its ecologically sensitive swampy grasslands.
About Nagarahole National Park:
- What it is:
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- A notified Tiger Reserve and one of India’s premier Project Tiger sites.
- Officially known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, named after the Nagarahole stream (“Nagara” – serpent, “Hole” – stream).
- Location & Geography:
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- Spans across Kodagu and Mysuru districts in Karnataka.
- Covers 847.98 sq. km (Core: 643.39 sq. km, Buffer: 204.59 sq. km).
- Contiguous with: Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Situated between Mysuru Plateau and Nilgiri Hills.
- Ecological History:
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- Initially declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and later upgraded to a National Park in 1988.
- Designated as a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1999.
- Flora & Fauna:
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- Flora: Tropical moist and dry deciduous forests, swampy grasslands (Hadlus), teak, rosewood, sandalwood.
- Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, Asiatic Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, Muntjac, Mouse Deer, and South-western Langur.
- Rivers:
- Nagarahole River: Flows through the park.
- Kabini River: Forms the northern boundary of the park.
- Taraka River: Flows through the southeastern parts of the park.
- Significance:
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- Part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and a key wildlife corridor in the Western Ghats.
- Hosts the world’s largest herd of Asiatic elephants.
- Supports high biodiversity and is vital for ecological connectivity and conservation.
