Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary

Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary
Village
Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary
Coordinates: 13°44′26″N 75°27′37″E / 13.74056°N 75.46028°ECoordinates: 13°44′26″N 75°27′37″E / 13.74056°N 75.46028°E
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Shimoga district
Taluk	Tirthahalli
Area
• Total	0.0046 km^2 (0.0018 sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is located near the little village Mandagadde which is 30 km from the Shimoga town in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It spans an area of 1.14 acres and it is surrounded by dense forest and a river named Tunga. The river forms a little island, which is famous for the migratory birds.

About

Mandagadde sanctuary is among the top bird sanctuaries around Bangalore^[1] and also one of the 20 important sanctuaries in the country and attracts tourists in large numbers between July and September. According to the local people, several birds lay eggs on the island in sanctuary. The birds prefer the top branches of the trees for nesting as the island is partially submerged by the swollen river during monsoon.^[2]

This sanctuary is a bird watcher’s delight, with the island being a perfect heaven for bird nesting with over 5,000 birds here during the peak season.^[3] A watchtower has been put up for viewing different species of birds. Boating can be taken for closer viewing of the nesting birds.^[4]

Birds

During season, three types of migratory birds flock to the lush green environs of the sanctuary and stay till December which are:^[5]

• Median egret
• Darter (or snake bird)
• Little cormorant

Time to visit

July to September. During the peak season in August, it is estimated that more than 5,000 birds visit the sanctuary.^[6]

Getting here

The great egret

Mandagadde is 30 km from Shimoga, 140 km from Mangalore and 345 km from Bangalore. It is on the way to Theerthahalli from Shimoga. The sanctuary is well connected by road with a lot of State-owned and private buses running in the area. However, there are no hotels here. The best place to stay is Shimoga.^[6]

Nearby attractions

Sakrebayalu Elephant Camp has many elephants and their Mahouts. One attraction here is that people are allowed to wash the elephants, i.e. give them a bath. This is one interesting tourist activity in this region. The name of the camp is Sakrebayalu Elephant Camp; it is at a distance of 15 km from Mandagadde.^[7]

Gajanur Dam is at a distance of 5 km from Sakrebayalu Elephant Camp, and there are provisions for boat rides and even coracle rides.

References

1. "Top Bird Sanctuaries and National Parks around Bangalore". tourmyindia. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
2. "Mandagadde sanctuary is one of the 20 important sanctuaries in the country". The Hindu. July 9, 2009.
3. "Catch the birds at Mandagadde". Indian Express. July 010, 2009. Check date values in: |date= (help)
4. "Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary, Shimoga District, Karnataka". Incredible Southindia. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
5. "Mandagadde sanctuary plays host to special guests". The Hindu. July 9, 2009.
6. "Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary". The Hindu. May 22, 2006.
7. "Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary – A Hub for Nature Buffs". Karnataka.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.

External links