Along the Mysore-Ooty Highway, in the foothills of the Nilgiri mountains, lies some of India’s best elephant country. Bandipur National Park is a component of a single ecological continuum called Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve that includes the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarhole National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
In 1931, Bandipur was established as a hunting reserve by the maharaja of Mysore. The reserve was expanded in 1973 to become the Bandipur National Park and Tiger Reserve. Tigers, elephants, gaur and cheetal roam these forests, though elephant poaching has been a problem here.
