The wonder, amazement and thrill of spotting wildlife in their habitats are a feeling that can only be experienced to understand. Owing to the rich bio-diversity of India, one does not need to travel too far to explore the wildlife. But the popularity of Ranthambore National Park and Corbett National Park is such that many less popular but equally beautiful wildlife sanctuaries remain unexplored.
The wildlife sanctuaries in South India fall in that category – beautiful, unspoilt and unexplored. Some of these regions have been included under UNESCO.
Here is a list of few amazing Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks of South India where you can enjoy some wildlife spotting.
Bandipur National Park - Situated in Karnataka, the Bandipur National Park is famous for its wildlife. The park houses many endangered species of animals and flora. Bandipur National Park along with Mudumalai National Park, Wayanad National Park and Nagarhole National Park forms the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. This reserve is the largest protected area in South India and is home to the highest number of wild elephants in South Asia.
Dandeli National Park – Located in Uttara Kannada, the Dandeli National Park is an ideal holiday destination for nature lovers. Explore the beautiful sight of the lush forests here with a wildlife safari. Surrounded by thick forests and hills of the Kannada District, there is a rich diversity of the plants and animals in and around the sanctuary. Tour through beautiful wooden trails and experience the rich diversity of plant and animal life as the treasures of this extraordinary landscape unfold before you. Elephants, wild pigs, tigers, rare black panthers, wild dogs, monkeys, deer and mongoose are some of the attractive mammals you can see here.
Eravikulam National Park – Kerala’s first national park, Eravikulam National Park is famous for its collection of tahr. Located in Munnar, the National Park covers 97 square kilometer area along the famous Western Ghats. The park is a heritage site and houses some rare and endangered species of animals, butterflies etc. Offering a great view of tea plantation, rolling hills and neelakurunji, the Park is famous for Anamudipeak, which is the highest peak in South India. The Eravikulam national park’s terrain includes hill plateau, grasslands, sholas, mountain peak, perennial streams that merge with Periyar River or Pamba River, waterfalls and others.
Nagarhole National Park - Nagarhole National Park, also known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, is counted among one of the well-kept national parks. It is located in the two districts of Karnataka, namely Mysore and Kodagu. Sloth Bears, Leopards, Tigers, Wild Dogs, Sambar, Four-Horned Antelopes, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Elephant and Wild Boars are some of the easily spotted animals of this park.
Periyar National Park - Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary situated in Thekkady, Kerala is where the Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian Elephants, and various other wild and fascinating creatures reside. Covering 357 square miles of land, Pamba and Periyar rivers run through the park. The Park attracts thousands of tourists every year offering activities like safari, and rafting among others. Lying in the middle of cardamom hills, the north and the east borders of the park are covered by the mountains.