Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary

Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary Bhimagad
Wildlife Sanctuary
Critically endangered Wroughton's Free-tailed Bat near Bhimagad Wildlife Sanctuary
Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates: 15°32′39″N 74°21′03″E / 15.54417°N 74.35083°E / 15.54417; 74.35083
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Belgavi
Declared date:	1 December 2011
Area
• Total	190.4258 km2 (73.5238 sq mi)
Elevation	800 m (2,600 ft)
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Nearest city	Belagavi, Karnataka
IUCN category	IV
Precipitation	3,800 millimetres (150 in)
Avg. summer temperature	28.2 °C (82.8 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	23.3 °C (73.9 °F)

Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Western Ghats, in Khanapur Taluk of Belgavi District near Jamboti Village, Karnataka state, India. This 19,042.58 ha (73.5238 sq mi) of Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests forest area was long awaiting to be a wild life sanctuary and finally declared in December 2011.^[1]

The Bhimgad forests are notable for the Barapede caves, the only known breeding area of the Wroughton's free-tailed bat, a threatened species on the verge of extinction. The sanctuary is also home to other rare species of flora and fauna.^[2]

The area takes its name from the Bhimgad Fort which was built and commanded by Shivaji in the 17th century. It is located in the heart of the forest valley, Built by Shivaji to defend from the Portuguese troops who controlled Goa that time, rises 1800 ft near vertically above the plains. The fort occupied the summit of an extraordinary rock, with sides about 300 ft (91 m) in perpendicular height. The defenses were almost entirely natural, requiring little additional construction. The ruins of the 380-ft high and 825-ft broad Bhimgad fort are located right in the heart of the Mahadayi forest, and is of great historical significance.^[3]

The sanctuary is about 35 km (22 mi) southwest from Belgaum city.and 10 km from volpoi(goa) town It is contiguous to the east of Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, north-west of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park and north of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa and north of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka.^[2] The western border areas encompasses several geomorphological limestone formations with several caves.^[4]

This area is the headwaters of several rivers including the Mhadei, Malaprabha and Tillari and hundreds of perennial streams. The Mhadei originates in the Bhimgad forests with a cluster of 30 springs forming the river Mahadayi, which is joined by two other streams Marcidha nala and Pannera nala. The waters flow down in the valley and over the 150 ft (46 m) Vajrapoha falls. The evening sun falling on the veil gives a glittering touch thus the name vajra. The Mhadei river goes on to be the important Mandovi river in Goa.^[5] Notification of this area as a wildlife sanctuary has given protection to Goa's water resources.^[2]

Wildlife of India
Biodiversity Fauna Flora Lists Amphibians Ants Birds Butterflies Endangered animals Fish Mammals Molluscs Moths Odonates Reptiles Spiders Tiger beetles
Protected areas Biosphere reserves Communal forests Conservation areas Conservation and community reserves Elephant reserves National parks Private protected areas Ramsar Sites Reserved and protected forests Tiger reserves Wildlife sanctuaries
Conservation Projects Cheetah Dolphin Elephant Tiger Acts of Parliament Indian Forest Act 1927 Wildlife Protection Act 1972 Wildlife Protection Act 2002
Organisations National Ministry of Environment and Forests National Biodiversity Authority Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding Council of Forestry Research Indian Forest Service / Survey Institute of Forest Management Wildlife Institute Tiger Conservation Authority Zoo Authority International Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) South Asian Zoo Association (SAZARC) World Animal Protection World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Related topics Environmental issues Fossil parks Forestry Natural history Tourism Lists Botanical gardens Ecoregions Zoological gardens Wildlife population Elephant Tiger Wildlife
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The application states: "This section of Bhimgad that lies in Karnataka reflects the bewildering complexity in plant, animal and bird life. It represents an area having a unique ecosystem that has significant biological and ecological importance. The region has numerous endemic plants and animals and also provides a critically important tiger corridor between Karnataka and Goa."

The sanctuary, with beautiful mosaic of woodlands and grass lands, is home to tigers, leopards, gaur, sloth bears, sambar, spotted deer, chitals, foxes, wild dogs, king cobras elephants, and other threatened species of mammals, birds and reptiles. The forests are a part of vital tiger corridors – one linking the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Radhanagri Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra and the other linking Dandeli and the Molem Wildlife Sanctuary.^[2][6]

The sanctuary is a mosaic of Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and grasslands. It is rich in medicinal plants.

Bhimgad