Location: Karnataka state Map
Area: 250 km2
Kali Tiger Reserve or Anshi National Park is a nature reserve situated in Uttara Kannada district of the Karnataka state in India. Anshi National Park covers an area of 250 km2 and adjoins to neighbouring Dandeli wildlife sanctuary. One of the most common mammals found in the area is an Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, black panther and many other animals. In fact Anshi National Park with Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as "Anshi Dandeli Tiger Reserve" to protect declining population of Bengal tigers.
The prevailing tree species in Anshi Park are considered to be
bamboo, silver oak, bauhinia, eucalyptus, lanthanum, teak, xylia.
The fauna of the park is represented by black panthers, tigers and
elephants. Also inhabited: Indian macaques, several species of deer,
gaur, pangolin, sponge bear, etc. Among the reptiles there are: king
cobra, kraits, pythons, climbing snakes and vipers. Meetings with
gauras, zambars, langurs, jungle cats, mongooses, jackals are
common. Anshi also has about 200 species of birds.
Notably, both Anshi National Park and "Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary" together received tiger reserve status under Project Tiger, being declared the "Anshi Dandeli Tiger Reserve" in January 2007. The 340 square kilometer Anshi Park is attached to the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. Together, and with six adjacent protected areas, in the states of Goa and Maharashtra, it forms an almost uninterrupted protected forest area of more than 2,200 square kilometers.
The forest in this area was declared "Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary" on May 10, 1956. The state proposed to take away a section of the sanctuary to form Anshi National Park, and the proposal was implemented on September 2, 1987. The initial proposal extends over 250 square kilometers. When the final notification of the park area was fixed in 2002, it was extended by another 90 square kilometers.
Located in the Western Ghats mountain range, Anshi's elevation ranges from 27-927 m above. n. m. Despite the high rainfall in this area, the water holes dry up very quickly in the summer because the soil is made of laterite, with minimal waterproof capacity.
The park is located in the Northern Western Ghats mountain
rainforests and the Northern Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
ecoregion, both considered endangered by the World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF). Forests have high biodiversity.
Some common trees and
plants here are: Calophyllum tomentosum, Calophyllum wightianum, Malabar
tamarind, Garcinia morella, Knema attenuata, Hopea wightiana, Tetrameles
nudiflora, Alstonia scholaris, Flacourtia montana, Machilus macrantha,
Carallia brachiata, Artocarpus hirsutus, Artocarpus lacucha, tree of the
Cinnamon, Bamboo, Bauhinia, Eucalyptus, Lantana, Silky Oak, Teak and
Xylia xylocarpa.
The black panther,6 the elephant and the tiger are species that live
in the park, but specimens of which are rarely seen. Other large mammals
here are gaur, sloth bear, Indian wild boar, crowned macaque, common
langur, gray slender loris, various cervids including: muntiac,
tragulids, sambar and chital.
In these forests there are also
specimens of cuon, jackal, jungle cat, Bengal cat, dwarf civet, gray
Indian mongoose, flying squirrel, porcupine, Malabar large-spotted
civet, Malabar squirrel and folidots.
Among the reptiles in the
park are the king cobra, the spectacled cobra, Russell's viper, snakes
of the genus Echis, common krait, Indian python, colubrines, Ahaetulla,
green or pit viper Trimeresurus gramineus and monitor monitors.
Interesting birds that can be seen here are the Ceylon Podagar, various
Hornbills (the Bicornuate, the Crowned, the Malabar Grey, and the Indian
Grey) as well as the Blue-backed Irena.
Around 200 species of
birds are documented in the park. These include the distinctive Marabou,
Ashy Artamoan, Black-crested Bulbul, Blue-headed Woodpecker, Brahman
Kite, Great-billed Roller, Short-toed Eagle, Tickell's Woodpecker and
White-footed Vinago.