Kali Tiger Reserve (

Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

: ಕಾಳಿ ಹುಲಿ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಿತ ಪ್ರದೇಶ; formerly Anshi National Park) is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

and

tiger reserve Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protecti ...

. It is located in

Uttara Kannada Uttara Kannada is a district in the Indian states and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Uttara Kannada District is a major coastal district of Karnataka, and currently holding the title of the largest district in Karnataka. It is borde ...

district, in

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. The park is a habitat of

Bengal tiger The Bengal tiger is a population of the '' Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna. The tiger is estimated to have been present i ...

black panther A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been ...

s and

Indian elephant The Indian elephant (''Elephas maximus indicus'') is one of four extant recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List as the wild pop ...

s, amongst other distinctive fauna. The Kali River flows through the tiger reserve and is the lifeline of the ecosystem and hence the name. The tiger reserve is spread over an area of 1300 square kilometres.

History

The forest in the area was declared the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary on 10 May 1956. The state proposed carving out a section of the sanctuary to form the Anshi national park, which was implemented on 2 September 1987.Wildlife Institute of Indi
Protected Areas in Karnataka state
, (June 2000), URL accessed 2 April 2007 The initial proposal covered 250 square kilometres. When the final notification of the park area was issued in 2002, it was extended by another 90 square kilometres. It was renamed to Kali Tiger Reserve in December 2015. The park is home to several hydroelectric dams and a nuclear power station.

Renaming of Anshi Tiger Reserve

It is notable that Anshi National Park and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary were together granted the status of

Project Tiger Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, prote ...

, being declared as 'Anshi Dandeli Tiger Reserve' in January, 2007. The Anshi park adjoins the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, and together with six adjacent protected areas in the states of Goa and

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

, forms an almost uninterrupted protected forest area of over . In December 2015, Dandeli Anshi Tiger reserve was renamed to Kali Tiger Reserve (JOIDA). The river Kali is the lifeline of the people of Uttara Kannada district and integrates Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS) spread across 400 km² and Anshi National Park (ANP) spread across 500 km². The river cuts across the whole park and the renaming has given the area a single identity. The change of name was also to bring focus and awareness to Kali River. The name change was prompted following a universal response from policymakers after the release of the movie ''Kali'' which brought to importance the role of Kali River to the ecosystem.

Geography

Located in the Western Ghats range from 14°54' to 15°07' N latitude and 74°16' to 74°30' E longitude, Kali Tiger Reserve's

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § ...

varies from above MSL. Despite high rainfall in this area, water holes go dry very early in the summer because the soil is

laterite Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...

, with minimal water-holding capacity.

Park management

The management of National parks and sanctuaries in the state is the responsibility of the

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests The Indian Forest Service (IFS) is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India. The other two All India Services being the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service. It was constituted in the year 1966 und ...

(Wildlife). Kali Tiger Reserve is headed by the Director of the Park who is also the Chief Conservator of Forests.

Flora

The park is in the

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

s of North Western Ghats montane rain forests and North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests, both of which are deemed endangered by the

World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the W ...

(WWF).WWF The forests have high

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity'') ...

. Some common trees and plants here include: bintangur, ''

Calophyllum ''Calophyllum'' is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Calophyllaceae. They are mainly distributed in Asia, with some species in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands. History Members of the genus ''Calophyllu ...

wightianum'', Malabar tamarind, '' Garcinia morella'', '' Knema attenuata'', '' Hopea wightiana'', ''

Tetrameles nudiflora ''Tetrameles'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Tetramelaceae with one species, ''Tetrameles nudiflora''. It grows as a large deciduous tree and is found across southern Asia from India through southeast Asia, Malesia, and into nort ...

'', blackboard tree, '' Flacourtia montana'', '' Machilus macrantha'', '' Carallia brachiata'', aini-maram, ''

Artocarpus lacucha ''Artocarpus lacucha'', also known as monkey jack or monkey fruit, is a tropical evergreen tree species of the family Moraceae. It is distributed throughout the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The tree is valued for its wood; its fru ...

'',

true cinnamon ''Cinnamomum verum'', called true cinnamon tree or Ceylon cinnamon tree, is a small evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka. The inner bark of several other '' Cinnamomum'' species are also used to make cinnamon, ...

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

bauhinia ''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and J ...

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as ...

lantana ''Lantana'' () is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in ...

silver oak ''Grevillea robusta'', commonly known as the southern silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak, is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is a tree, the largest species in its genus but is not closely rela ...

teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters ( pan ...

and jamba.

Fauna

The

, elephants and tigers live in the park but are rarely seen. Other large

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur ...

s here are

Indian bison The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...

sloth bear The sloth bear (''Melursus ursinus'') is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. It feeds on fruits, ants and termites. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of habitat loss and degradation ...

, Indian wild boar, bonnet macaque, northern plains grey langur, grey slender loris, several deer including:

barking deer Barking may refer to: Places * Barking, London, a town in East London, England ** London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, a local government district covering the town of Barking ** Municipal Borough of Barking, a historical local government dist ...

(muntjac), mouse deer (chevrotain),

sambar deer The sambar (''Rusa unicolor'') is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Populations have declined substantially due to severe hunting, local ins ...

and

spotted deer The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also known as the spotted deer, chital deer, and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described and given a binomial name by German naturalist Johann Christian Po ...

(chital or axis deer).

Wild dog A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of ...

jackal Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...

, jungle cat,

leopard cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by hab ...

, small Indian civet,

Indian grey mongoose The Indian grey mongoose (''Urva edwardsii'') is a mongoose species native to the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The grey mongoose inhabits open forests, scrublands and cultivated fie ...

flying squirrel Flying squirrels (scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini) are a tribe of 50 species of squirrels in the family Sciuridae. Despite their name, they are not in fact capable of full flight in the same way as birds or bats, but they a ...

porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethiz ...

, Malabar civet, Indian giant squirrel and

pangolin Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (, from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός – "clad in scales"). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: '' Manis'', ''Phataginus'', and '' Smuts ...

also make their home in the forests here.

Reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates ( lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalia ...

s in the park include the king cobra,

spectacled cobra The Indian cobra (''Naja naja''), also known as the spectacled cobra, Asian cobra, or binocellate cobra, is a species of cobra found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, and a member of the "big four" species that ...

, Russell's viper,

saw-scaled viper ''Echis'' (common names: saw-scaled vipers, carpet vipersSpawls S, Branch B. 1995. ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. Dubai: Ralph Curtis Books. Oriental Press. 192 pp. .) is a genus of vipers found in the dry regions of Africa, the Middle East ...

, common krait, Indian rock python, rat snake, vine snake, green or bamboo pit viper and

monitor lizard Monitor lizards are lizards in the genus ''Varanus,'' the only extant genus in the family Varanidae. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are rec ...

s. Interesting birds include the Ceylon frogmouth, great hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Indian grey hornbill and Asian fairy bluebird. Around 200 species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s are recorded in the park. These include the distinctive adjutant stork, ashy woodswallow,

black-crested bulbul The black-crested bulbul (''Rubigula flaviventris'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found from the Indian subcontinent to southeast Asia. Taxonomy and systematics The black-crested bulbul was originally described ...

blue-headed pitta The blue-headed pitta (''Hydrornis baudii'') is a species of bird in the pitta family Pittidae. It is endemic to Borneo. Description The blue-headed pitta is a medium-sized pitta, at in length. The plumage of the male is very brightly coloure ...

, brahminy kite, broad-billed roller, crested serpent eagle, great hornbill, golden-backed woodpecker, Malabar pied hornbill, Sri Lanka frogmouth and yellow-footed green pigeon.

Visitor information

The best months to visit are October to May. The park is open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Th
nature camp
at Kulgi has accommodations available in tents (two beds each), deluxe tents (two beds each), and a dormitory with 16 beds. The climate is quite humid year around. The usual plans are visiting the Bird Trail, Mammal trail in Kulgi which is a 3-km walk. The water sports like Jacuzzi, boating, rafting, and canoeing can be planned in the river Kali, and trekking the extremely beautiful Dudhsagar waterfalls by a 20-km trek is also available. Also note many roads within Anshi national park ( Kali Tiger Reserve )are closed to vehicular traffic from evening 6 P.M to morning 6 A.M like Kulgi to Bhagavathi via Ambikanagar, Anmod to Hemmadaga and Ulavi to Potoli. Also many dams are built across river Kali which criss crosses within tiger reserve. Signboards are written in

the state language and English. Dandeli is the nearby town adjoining sanctuaries which has daily bus services to Dharwad, Hubballi, Belagavi and Bengaluru.Visiting the eco interests in Goa is optional. The local vegetarian food is served. , author = Shivaraj Shettar , url = http://www.dandelijungleresorts.in/Dandeli , title = Accommodation , work = National Parks – Anshi National Park , publisher = Karnataka State Wildlife Board , year = 2011 , accessdate = 8 March 2012

References

External links

Map
National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka {{Authority control Tiger reserves of India National parks in Karnataka Wildlife sanctuaries of the Western Ghats Important Bird Areas of India Wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests North Western Ghats montane rain forests Protected areas established in 1987 1987 establishments in Kerala Tourist attractions in Uttara Kannada district