About Bandipur National Park and Forest Fires
About Bandipur National Park
- Bandipur National Park is located in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka.
- It constitutes of forest landscape comprising Nagarahole (Karnataka), Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam (Tamil Nadu) and Wayanad (Kerala).
- Bandipur constitutes an integral part of ‘Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve’ along with.
- Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu
- Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala
- Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka
- Bandipur was established as a Tiger Reserve in 1974 after Project Tiger. As per NRCA data the tiger reserve is home to nearly 120 to 150 tigers.
- As a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, it is the largest habitat of wild elephants in South Asia.
- It is declared as Eco-Sensitize Zone under Environment Protection Rules, 1986.
- Forest Type
- Mixture of dry deciduous forests, moist deciduous forests and shrublands. The wide range of habitats help support a diverse range of organisms.
- Natural inhabitants
- Gaur, sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild dogs, wild boar, jackal, sloth bear, panther, malabar squirrel, porcupines, jungle fowl.
- Other Facts
- Kabini river flows in the northern part of the park
In Brief: Forest Fires
- Forest fires can occur because of both natural and man-made causes.
- Man-made causes contribute to more than 90% of forest fires in India.
Manmade causes behind forest fires
- Villagers set the forests on fire in the hope of fresh grass.
- Increase in temperature causes inflammable materials in the forests get ignited.
- People’s negligence, a lit cigarette or bidi.
- Attempts to convert forest land into agricultural land.
- Fire caused by poachers and timber smugglers.
- Burning of waste in illegal dumps.
- Shifting cultivation practice by the locals
- Tourist activities like camp-fire etc.
Impact of Forest Fires
- Loss of life.
- They change wildlife habitats.
- Fire changes the proportion, arrangement and characteristic of habitats across the landscape.
- Temporary loss of food and shelter causes displacement of territorial birds and mammals, upsetting the ecological balance.
Way Forward
- Need for post-fire management.
- Better monitoring of reserve forest areas
- Soil and moisture conservation needs to be carried out.
- Recruit more people during the forest fire season.
Section : Environment & Ecology
