Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, Nature reserve in Madikeri, India.
Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, covering a hilly landscape of dense forests, open grasslands, and small streams. The terrain sits at a high elevation, which creates a range of habitats across a relatively compact area.
The sanctuary was established in 1987 by the Karnataka Forest Department to protect the forests of this part of the Western Ghats. It was created at a time when logging and human settlement were putting growing pressure on the area.
The source of the Kaveri River lies within the reserve, and it is a place of pilgrimage for many people from the surrounding region. Small shrines and offerings near the spring show how deeply local communities connect to this spot.
Madikeri is the usual starting point for visiting the reserve, and guided tours can be arranged from there. The monsoon season makes the terrain harder to move through, so a visit during the drier months is generally easier.
The stripe-necked mongoose lives in the reserve, a species that has become very rare across most of its former range. The fairy bluebird and the mouse deer are also found here, two animals that are now rarely spotted elsewhere in the Western Ghats.
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