Chandoli National Park

Location

Chandoli National Park is located near the Chandoli Dam between longitudes 73°40' and 73°53' E and latitudes 17°03' and 17°20'N in Sangli District of Western Maharashtra. It lies between the Radhanagiri and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuaries and forms the southern part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. it is near about 101 km from sangli

History

The park includes historical places of note including 17th century forts of the Maratha Empire, Prachitgad and Bhairavgad. Most of the protected area was used an open jail for the "prisoners of war" of the early battles during Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's rule. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj used Prachitgad as an observation point and recreational place.

Geography

The park spreads along the crest of the Sahyadri Range of the northern Western Ghats. It forms and protects many perennial water channels, water holes and the Vasant Sagar Reservoir. Elevation of the park ranges from 589–1,044 m (1,932–3,425 ft). The park receives its water supply from the Warna river and reservoir as well as several other small streams and rivers. Flat topped mountains, rocky, lateritic plateaus called 'Saddas', almost devoid of vegetation, large boulders and caves are distinctive to the protected areas in the Sahyadri region of the Western Ghats.

Flora

The forest types seen here are a mix of Malabar Coast moist forests and North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests. In the dwarf evergreen forests, some tree species commonly seen here are the anjani ironwood tree, jamun, pisa (angustifolia), fig, Olea (diocia), katak spinous kino tree, nana or Crape myrtle (lanceolata), kinjal, kokum tree and phanasi false kelat (brachiata). Other trees dominating the landscape include asan wood or ain or Indian laurel, amla or Indian gooseberry, umbar or devil fig (hispida) and harra or chebulic myrobalan.

Grasses commonly seen here include bangala or bluestem grass sp., dongari or golden beard grass (fulvus), black spear grass, kalikusli or tangle grass, anjan grass or buffel grass, grader grass or karad or kangaroo grass (quadrivalvis) and grasses belonging to family Poaceae, like saphet-kusli or Aristida funiculata]. Insectivorous plant species like sundews and bladderworts sp. are also found in this protected area.

Fauna

Nearly 23 species of mammals, 122 species of birds, 20 species of amphibians and reptiles are known to be resident in the forests of Chandoli. The tiger, leopard, Indian bison, leopard cat, sloth bear and giant squirrel are quite conspicuous here.

Many prey species of ungulates such as the barking deer, sambar deer, mouse deer and blackbuck are present. A census carried out in 2002 by the Forest Department showed a rise in the number of tigers, leopards, gaur, barking deer, mouse deer, sloth bears and blackbuck. A similar census carried out in 2004 showed a rise in gaur population in the Kolhapur Wildlife Division from 88 to 243.

On 23 and 24 May 2018, a tiger was photographed in a camera trap in Chandoli. This was the first direct evidence of tigers in the reserve in eight years. Prior to that, in 2014, scat DNA and model-based predictions were used to estimate that the reserve had five to eight tigers.

Development

Work undertaken for habitat improvement and development in the Chandoli National Park include removal of invasive species, soil conservation and water conservation, vaccination of cattle, research, fire prevention, providing salt licks, demarcation of boundary, erection of watch towers, maintenance of nature trails, desalting water holes, development of grasslands, and procurement of Wireless two-way radios.

Threats

The Maharashtra government has plans to set up the Karadi-Bhogiv hydro-electric project in the catchment area of the Warna Dam that is expected to use up 6.78 km² (2.62 sq mi) of forest land. On a positive note, nearly 7,894 people and a significant cattle population resident on 84.29 km² (32.54 sq mi) of land in 32 villages within the park. These villages have been successfully relocated to areas outside the park. This measure has helped to preserve and regenerate some of the vegetation in this protected area.

Nearest City

Sangli

Nearest Railway Station

Sangli railway station