Nagarhole National park, a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve also known as 'Rajiv Gandhi National Park', is one of India’s best known wildlife reserves. This place beckons tourists from all over the world to have a rendezvous with nature and wildlife. It was set up in 1955, enriched with greenish forest cover, little streams, softy valleys and spectacular waterfalls, is one of the best-managed parks in the country.
Though the name literally means Snake River in Kannada, there aren't too many snakes around. Created from a former raja's hunting grounds, Nagarahole is one of the best game sanctuaries in South India, providing a natural living conditions to several wild animals like elephants, tigers, panthers, rhinos and wild elephants, but one is more likely to see smaller game like gaur, deer, wild dogs and langur. Pleasantly cool round the year, it is a little difficult to reach, which makes it quieter than other parks. This in turn makes it a great place to relax. Jungle safaris are available as elephant rides.
Diverse nature of the park is visible from the flora and fauna. The park has in account a healthy Tiger-Predator ratio. This is a natural territory of many mammalian species, and rare species of animals.
Some of the animals that can be spotted here include four-horned antelope, sloth bear, civet, spotted deer, elephant, flying fox, tiger, panther, gaur (Indian bison), sambhar, wild boar, black-naped hare, bonnet macaque, and pangolin. Reptiles freely inhabit in this park. The crawlers include cobras, crocodiles, kraits, pythons, vipers and various species of lizards.
Bird watching in this park is spectacular; one can spot rare species of birds, not seen anywhere else. This park is a paradise for animal lovers and bird watchers. Environmentalists should not miss this place in their travel plan.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashwinkumar/6241403627/in/set-721576277645…
