Wildlife Corridor Conservation around Bhadra Tiger Reserve

Covering an area of 500 sq.km, Bhadra Tiger Reserve is a global biodiversity hotspot and one of the premier Tiger Reserves (TR) in India. It is situated in Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts of central Western Ghats surrounded by the lofty Bababudan/Chandradrona mountains. The Reserve is a mosaic of different habitats ranging from high elevation shola evergreen forests-grassland complex to dry deciduous forests. The high hills and the moist forests interspersed by streams and rivulets originating from the river Bhadra are a haven for wild animals. Bhadra is home to 166 tree species, 39 mammal species, 267 bird species, 36 amphibian species and 115 butterfly species. It is also a key source population site for tigers and other endangered mammals like the Asian elephant and the dhole. The Reserve is well connected with Shettihally Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) to the north and Kudremukh National Park (NP) to the southwest (Fig. 1). These two protected areas act as crucial sinks for dispersing wildlife from the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. These contiguous corridor forests are regularly used by tigers and Asian elephants, but are threatened by encroachment, ill-conceived development projects, and illegal hunting. The legal status of the contiguous forests between Bhadra, Shetthihally, and Kudremukh vary from unprotected to the most restricted, known as reserve forests. 

1.     Engage local communities to understand their needs while collaborating with government agencies to find solutions to support their livelihoods, which thereby reduces anthropogenic pressure on forests and wildlife.

2.     Provide technical support to government partners, particularly the Forest Department to address management-related problems. Extend support to the Forest Department in their effort to work with local communities to save wildlife and habitat.

3.     Build public support for wildlife and habitat conservation through extensive education, and conduct fire awareness programs in association with the forest department.

Our project aims to protect and conserve critical wildlife corridors such as the Shettihally-Bhadra-Kudremukh and ensure better habitat and wildlife connectivity among Protected Areas in the central Western Ghats. The project also aims to reduce the threats and anthropogenic pressures on biodiversity through effective collaborations with various stakeholders.