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Introduction

The Government of Mysore declared a 124.64 km² area of Jagara Valley in Chikkamagaluru Jagara Valley Game Sanctuary in 1951. The Government of Karnataka expanded its area to 492.46 km² in 1974 and created Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve derives its name from the River Bhadra. Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as Bhadra Tiger Reserve in 1998 under Project Tiger, making it India’s 25thtiger reserve, which was notified in 2007 by the Government of Karnataka. The Government of Karnataka notified an area of 571.84 km² to be the buffer zone of Bhadra Tiger Reserve. This consists of 51 villages in the taluks of Chikkamagaluru, Narasimharajpura, Tarikere, Bhadravathi and Shivamogga of Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts. The reserve is shaped like a saucer with mostly undulating terrain with valleys and steep hillocks. It has four hill ranges namely of Hebbegiri, Gangegiri, Mullayanagiri and Bababudangiri that form a geographic barrier between the coastal areas and the hinterland. The highest peak in the reserve is Kalluhattagiri, with a height of 1875 m above mean sea level (MSL). The reserve had 13 villages amidst the forest having a population of about 4000. The villagers used to cultivate paddy in the swampy grasslands. However, all the villagers were relocated outside the reserve in 2002. The abandoned paddy fields in the swamps are locally known as hadlus. They have become feeding grounds for many species. Bhadra is home to more than 40 mammalian species, including the tiger, leopard, and dhole as the top predators. The tiger reserve receives south-west and the north-east monsoon rains, with an average annual rainfall of 1500–1700 mm in 98–104 rainy days, and it is well drained by the River Bhadra and its tributaries. The major forest types of the reserve include a Southern Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest of type 3B/C2, Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest of type 5A/C3 and Shola Forests of type 2A/C2[9]. The forest is dominated by Tectona grandis, Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia paniculata, Pterocarpus marsupium, Dalbergia latifolia, Lagerstroemia lanceolata, Dendrocalamus sp. and Bambusa bamboo

Management Strengths:

The core of the reserve is surrounded by notified forests of the buffer divisions in most parts, which gives additional space for protection and dispersal of animals.
Sizeable areas of the reserve are free of human habitations.
Grazing and related problems are restricted to the buffer areas.
Most of the families have been rehabilitated outside the reserve. Hence the biotic interference in the reserve is limited.
Rich habitat/water sources—the reserve has very good vegetation cover and is home to several different types of forest.
Bhadra Tiger Reserve is contiguous with several reserve forests and deemed forests that connect to the neighbouring Kudremukh National Park which has been proposed to be a new tiger reserve. This gives tigers considerable space for movement from one protected area to the other.
The reserve is surrounded by Bhadra Reservoir on the northern and western sides and the high mountain ridge from Kemmannugundi to Gangegiri on the eastern and southern sides. These act as natural barriers and help protect the tiger reserve.
The staff are generally sincere, obedient and faithful.
Major parts of the reserve are devoid of anthropogenic interferences.
Rich floral and faunal diversity.
The reserve is an important catchment area for the River Bhadra and its tributaries.
The location of Bhadra Tiger Reserve is a great advantage as it has good connectivity with adjoining areas.
The reserve has a strong history of protection.
Has great potential to support good numbers of tigers because of its rich prey base.
Strong support from locals and NGOs and pro-wildlife activists.

A considerable amount of research has been conducted by organizations such as CWS and WCS on the tigers of Bhadra over the last few years.

Management Weaknesses:

Vacancy of frontline protection/law enforcement staff.
Inadequately maintained road network, protection infrastructure and intelligence network due to heavy rainfall.
Spreading of invasive species.
There are still human settlements at the fringe of the reserve.
Biotic pressures from fringe areas.
Lack of professional training of frontline staff for protection work and law enforcement.
Weak baseline information and long-term monitoring.
Bababudangiri State Forests (Kemmannugundi), Madhuguni SF and Aldhara SF areas are separated from the main areas of the reserve by government lands and Bhadra Reservoir, respectively, which makes monitoring and management of the entire reserve as a whole difficult.

Immediate Actionable Points:

Extensive threat analysis and mapping along with preparation of threat management plans.
Expeditious filling of vacancies among the frontline staff.
Extensive documentation of research-based findings for planning and implementation of various managemental practices.
Appointment of in-house research officer for Bhadra Tiger Reserve.
Development of training modules for protection, enforcement and regular carrying out of capacity building programmes for the frontline staff.
Improvement of patrolling amenities with night vision gear and all-terrain vehicles.
Effective implementation of security audits.
Effective regulation of private resorts and homestays, which are coming up in the coffee estates between the buffer zones.
Strengthening of public relation infrastructure.
Establishment of in-house staff training facility.
Improvements of Salim Ali Interpretation Centre at Muthodi Wildlife Range.
Assessments of carbon storage, carbon capture and carbon loss for management actions in the tiger reserve.
Strengthening of eco-development committees (EDCs) and self-help groups (SHGs) by involving them in livelihood activities other than eco-tourism.
Strengthening of public participation in various management and implementation programmes.
Appointment of permanent wildlife veterinarians and improvement of veterinary infrastructure.
Braille corridor should be established in the interpretation centre. The visually challenged persons don’t get the feel of flora/fauna/wildlife shown in interpretation centre, therefore the Braille language should be used in each diagram for understanding the templates.
All visitors places should have handicapped-friendly infrastructure and logistics.

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Bhadra Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Management Strengths:

Management Weaknesses:

Immediate Actionable Points:

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