Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary

Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary Latest News

The Karnataka state government has issued rules to regulate development works around Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Belagavi district. 

About Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: It spans over the Western Ghats in the Belgaum district of Karnataka.
• The sanctuary derives its name from Bhimgad Fort, built by the legendary Maratha king Shivaji in the 17th century. 
  • Bhimgad Fort acted as a strategic outpost to guard against Portuguese expansion from Goa. 
• It shares its boundary with the north of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, north-west of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, north of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, and east of Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Terrain:  It features rugged terrain with limestone formations and several caves, contributing to its unique biodiversity.
• Rivers: The sanctuary is the origin of several rivers, including the Mhadei, Malaprabha, and Tillari and several perennial streams.
• It is most famous for the Barapede Caves, the only known breeding ground of the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat, a threatened species on the verge of extinction.
• Vegetation: The dominant vegetation of the forest comprises tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. 
• Flora: Forests are dominated by towering trees like Malabar teak, rosewood, and various species of dipterocarps
• It also hosts a number of medicinal plants. 
• Fauna

• • It provides habitat for several endangered species, such as the Indian sloth bear, Indian pangolin, and the elusive Black Panther. 
  • Other notable residents include the Malabar giant squirrel, gaur, sambar deer, and a plethora of bird species, including the Malabar trogon and the great Indian hornbill.
  • Reptiles: It serves as ideal breeding grounds for the King Cobra, the world’s longest venomous snake.

Source: TH

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