South India Wildllife Sanctuaries & the type of wildlife you’d expect to see

Amongst numerous other things, India is also popular for its natural beauty and wildlife. In fact, India’s fascinating beauty can be clearly seen in 440 sanctuaries, 80 national parks and around 23 Tiger reserves. All these have been set up and established by the Government of India. Wildlife in India is protected from wildlife hunters and poachers.
If you are interested in viewing a wide range of animals living in their natural habitat, a trip to one of the wildlife sanctuaries in South India will be perfect. South India’s wildlife sanctuaries let you experience the fascinating nature and beauty of wildlife. On an average, wildlife sanctuaries in Southern part of India are home to over 1225 types of birds, 500 species of mammals and 1600 varieties of amphibians and reptiles and 57,000 types of insects are commonly found in South India’s national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and bird sanctuaries include Tigers, Leopards, Sambar, Antelopes, Elephants and Bison. Some prominent species of birds in these wildlife sanctuaries include Crested Serpent Eagle, Malabar Trogon and Malabar Pied Hornbill.
Two of the most popular areas for wildlife preservation in Southern India are Bandipur and Mudumalai. Let us give you a brief overview of these two wildlife sanctuaries and the type of wildlife you can expect to see here.
Bandipur National Park
Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most famous and beautiful national parks in India. This national park is situated in Karnataka. Bandipur National Park is easily accessible from some popular cities of South India, including Mysore (80 Km), Ooty (80 Km) and Bengaluru (215 Km). Bandipur National Park was established in 1930s from the famous hunting lands of King Voodiyar. Some years ago, this sanctuary was declared a Tiger reserve. It achieved the status of a National Park in 1974.
Bandipur is not only famous for wildlife in South India, but also offers a wide range of geographical features and good climate. Bandipur National Park has a wide range of flora and fauna. In fact, Nagur, Kabini and Moyar rivers also flow through this National Park. Thus, you can experience unique scenic beauty in this delightful National Park. Flora in this sanctuary varies from evergreen and deciduous forests to pasture woodlands. Some of the common trees found in this National Park include Rosewood, Teak, Indian Laurel, Sandalwood and Clumping Bamboo.
Bandipur National Park has been very famous for its large population of Elephants. Besides this, Bandipur is also famous for Leopards, Tigers and Hyenas. Some other common species in this National Park include Sambar, Gaur, Barking Deer, Chital and Four-horned Antelope.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
MudumalaiWildlife Sanctuary is one of the most attractive and beautiful wildlife sanctuaries in South India. It is situated on the borders of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. This beautiful wildlife sanctuary is located in the south-western and southern side of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary has been declared a tiger reserve. Mudumalai National Park covers an area of about 321 sq. km. Mudumalai National Park is separated from Bandipur Tiger Reserve by the Moyarriver. This National Park also forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
Mudumalai National Park is home to a variety of animals, birds and plants. This National Park includes three different types of forests. In the Western Benne Block, you can find Tropical moist deciduous forests. In the middle are Tropical dry deciduous forests and in the South, Tropical dry thorn forests can be seen.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary has always been famous for its largest population of wild elephants. You can also easily spot deer in this sanctuary. Other common species include Leopard, Tiger, Hyena, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Muntjac, Jackal, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Mongoose, Wild Boar, Four-horned Antelope, Porcupine, Otter, Langurs, Bonnet Macaque and Flying Squirrel.

Other Popular Wildlife Sanctuaries in South India
Other wildlife sanctuaries famous for wildlife in South India include Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Silent Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, Annamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu and Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka.
These sanctuaries have also been quite popular for their rich fauna. Some species of animals in these wildlife sanctuaries include Leopard, Tiger, Asiatic Wild Dog, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Striped Hyena, Great Black Woodpecker, Porcupine Malabar Trogon, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Green Imperial Pigeon and many more.