Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Wildlife sanctuary in Chikkaballapura district, India
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife refuge in Chikkaballapura district, India, spreading across forested hills and multiple riverbeds. The zone covers several vegetation layers, from deciduous forests at lower elevations to narrower tree corridors along the watercourses.
The government declared the area a sanctuary in 1951 after uncontrolled logging and game hunting had threatened biodiversity. Later expansions added buffer zones to better protect migrating animals.
Smaller settlements on the edge of the protected zone show how groups have preserved gathering rights for certain forest products across generations. Visitors often notice the handwoven baskets and dried herbs offered for sale in the border villages.
The drier months between October and March offer the best conditions for wildlife observation as many species gather around water sources. Guided tours help with orientation in the less marked sections and provide advice on safety during encounters with larger animals.
Some river sections carry water year-round while others flow only during the monsoon season, leaving dry gravel beds behind. These shifting water channels attract different flocks of birds that rotate between the banks depending on the season.
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