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Melukote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary

The Melukote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Mandya district of Karnataka and is 5 kilometres away from the town of Melukote. It was on 17th June 1974 that this area was recognised as a sanctuary by the government as an attempt to protect the Grey Wolf which had chosen the place as its habitat. The sanctuary is named after the Melukote Temple located towards the edge of the sanctuary. What is interesting about the place is the rare species of plants and vegetation seen here apart from the animals. Divided in two zones, Mudibetta and Narayandurga, the place also has villages in between and cultivation is undertaken by the villagers in the surrounding fields.

Location

The Melukote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the district of Mandya and is spread over an area of 49.82 sq. kilometres. The altitude of the place varies from 880 to 1127 metres and the highest point is Gavikallu Betta.

Flora and Fauna

Flora

Melukote has a rocky landscape and the vegetation is of tropical dry deciduous kind. Scrub vegetation is also seen. Cycas circinalis, a plant with medicinal qualities as well as aesthetic appeal used to grow in abundance in the forest but has been reduced to an endangered plant, thanks to local doctors and florists. Shorea roxburghii, Santalum album, Terminalia chebula, Anogeissus latifolia, Chloroxylon swietenia are among the other commonly seen plants in the area.

Fauna

The Melukote Temple Sanctuary is home to almost 110 species of butterflies which include the Southern Rustic Butterfly, Monkey Puzzle Butterfly and the Danaid Butterfly. The sanctuary and the surrounding areas are also home to a huge species of birds which comes close to almost 200. Some of the more commonly found ones include the Oriental White-backed Vulture, the Yellow throated Bulbul, the Long Billed Vulture, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Sirkeer Cuckoo, Brown Rock Pipit, Indian Blue Robin, Eurasian Blackbird and the Ultramarine Flycatcher. There are a host of mammals who inhabit the sanctuary such as the Indian Fox, the Leopard, the Jungle Cat, the Black Buck, the Langur, the Spotted Deer and the Pangolin.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the Melukote Temple Sanctuary is during the months of winter and spring, between October and April.

Accommodation

The Melukote Sanctuary does not have any scope for accommodations but one can stay at hotels at Mandya.

Visitor Information

  • Known as a trekker’s delight, the Melukote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary is also considered a very pious and holy place owing to the presence of the temple beside it.
  • Those keen on seeing the animals from close quarters can consult the Forest Range Officer in Melukote Town or the DY Conservator of Forests.
  • Entry to the sanctuary is free.

How to Reach

Air

Bangalore, the nearest international airport is 140 kilometres away.

Rail

Mysore and Mandya is the nearest railway stations located at distances of 55 kilometres and 35 kilometres respectively.

Road

Well-connected by road, the town of Melukote is about 5 kilometres away. Buses are available from all towns and cities of Bangalore, Mandya and Melukote.

Related Image

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