ABOUT
Division
Bhadra Tiger Reserve is principally located in Chikkamagaluru district with a small portion being in Bhadravathi taluk of Shivamogga district. In Chikkamagaluru district, it covers portions of Tarikere, Chikkamagaluru and N.R. Pura taluks. The tiger reserve was notified in the year 1999, earlier to which it was a Wildlife Sanctuary notified in the year 1974. The Jagger Valley wildlife park which was declared as early as 1951 was a part of the Sanctuary. The total forest area of the Tiger Reserve is 49,246 hectares. The Tiger Reserve is headed by a Deputy Conservator of Forests. It has two sub-divisions, namely, Chikkamagalur WL and Lakkavalli WL sub-divisions, and consists of four Wildlife Ranges, namely, Hebbe, Lakkavalli, Muthodi and Thanigebylu WL ranges. Forests of the Tiger Reserve is primarily of moist deciduous and semi-evergreen types with evergreen patches in wetter localities towards the west as also in the higher reaches, and dry deciduous forests towards the eastern part of the reserve. The Tiger Reserve harbors some of the best (quality I/II) moist deciduous Forests of Karnataka, especially in the Muthodi-Lakkavalli region. In the higher reaches of Baba Budan Hills, extensive and rolling grasslands surrounding pockets of shola vegetation are found in the valleys and depressions. Animals found in the Tiger Reserve include tiger, panther, wild dog, elephant, bison, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, sloth bear, wild boar, common langur, bonnet macaque, jackal, varieties of reptiles and birds, etc.