Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and tiger reserve as part of the Project Tiger, situated in Chikkamagaluru district, 23 km (14 mi) south of Bhadravathi city, 38 km (24 mi) 20 km from Tarikere town, northwest of Chikkamagaluru and 283 km from Bengaluru city in Karnataka state, India.^[2] Bhadra sanctuary has a wide range of flora and fauna and is a popular place for day outings. The 1,875 m (6,152 ft) above MSL Hebbe Giri is the highest peak in the sanctuary.

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Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Bhadra Tiger Reserve
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Tigers keeping a close eye on gaurs in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Location in Karnataka, India
Location	Chikkamagaluru District, Karnataka, India
Nearest city	Chikkamagaluru
Coordinates	13°41′43.72″N 75°38′12.53″E
Area	892.46 km2 (344.58 sq mi)
Max. elevation	1,875 m (6,152 ft)
Min. elevation	615 m (2,018 ft)
Established	1951[1]
Governing body	Government of India, MOEF, Project Tiger, Karnataka Forest Department
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Precipitation	2,100 millimetres (83 in)
Avg. summer temperature	32 °C (90 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	19 °C (66 °F)

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Bhadra sanctuary consists of two adjacent sections. The main western Lakkavalli-Muthodi section lies from 13˚22’ to 13˚47’ N latitude, 75˚29’ to 75˚45’ E longitude and the smaller eastern Bababudangiri section from 13˚30’ to 13˚33’ N latitude and 75˚44’ to 75˚47’ E longitude.

Elevation varies from 615 m (2,018 ft) to 1,875 m (6,152 ft) above MSL, the highest point being Kallathigiri on the eastern boundary.^[3] The sanctuary is surrounded by the scenic hills and steep slopes of the Mullayanagiri, Hebbegiri, Gangegiri and Bababudangiri hills. 1,930 metres (6,330 ft) Mullayanagiri peak in the Baba Budan Giri Range near the southeast edge of the sanctuary is the highest peak between the Himalayas and the Nilgiris.

The 551 ft (168 m) high Hebbe Falls are in the eastern part of the sanctuary. The Manikyadhara Falls is located on the nearby sacred Baba Budan Giri Hill, The tributaries of the Bhadra river flow west through the sanctuary. The western border of the sanctuary abuts the Bhadra Reservoir and is part of its catchment area of 1,968 km² (760 sq mi).^[2]

Jagara and Sirivase are the villages located within the sanctuary. Bhadravathi, Tarikere and Birur are cities nearby. Larger metropolitan cities are well connected to Bhadravthi and Birur by bus and rail. There is frequent local bus service from Bhadravathi to both Bhadra Dam and Bhadra WLS. The nearest airport is in Mangalore, around 163 km (101 mi) from Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary.

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Lakkavalli, Karnataka; the nearest cities is Tarikere, Birur and Bhadravathi.

Temperatures vary from 10˚ to 35 °C and mean annual rainfall varies from 1200 mm to 2600 mm.^[3]

The area was first declared as 'Jagara Valley Wildlife Sanctuary' in 1951 by the then government of its surroundings, the area was extended to its present extent and renamed to Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in 1974.^[2]

The Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a Project Tiger Reserve in 1998. Bhadra is the first tiger reserve in the country to complete a successful village relocation program. The original relocation plan was introduced in 1974 and was implemented completely by 2002 when the 26 villages in the sanctuary were successfully relocated to M C Halli which is about 50 km (31 mi) from the Sanctuary.^[4]

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is the biodiversity hotspot. Most of the area consists the wet deciduous forest, moist deciduous forest and green forests.^[5] Elevations ranging from 615 m (2,018 ft) to 1,875 m (6,152 ft) above MSL allows a variety of ecotypes including the unique shola forest/ mountain grasslands complex at Bababudan Giri and other patches higher than 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above MSL.^[3] Phenology has been defined as the study of cyclical biological events. In plants, this can include leafing, flowering and fruiting phenophases. Phenological studies were on going to know the biology of tree species (9,10,11,12)

A growing threat is human population in the villages close to the sanctuary and encroachment in areas surrounding Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. Grazing by the thousands of cattle that belong to the villagers are a threat. Livestock carry diseases like foot and mouth disease to the herbivores in the park. During the 1989-99 time period, rinderpest wiped out most of the Gaur population, which numbered more than a thousand, reducing the population to its present numbers. With proactive programs of inoculating local cattle, the population of Gaur is again on the rise.^{[citation needed]}

Another concern due to closeness of the population is procurement of non-timber forest products for commercial purposes and the procurement of timber for firewood. These affect the health of the forest in a long run. The other large threats are fishing and illegal poaching of wild animals.^[12]

Management practices of the forest department are habitat improvement, boundary consolidation, protection against poaching and fires, and infrastructure development. However, operating funds are insufficient and often delayed and the sanctuary management is understaffed. There are problems with frequent fires which adversely affect the habitat and biodiversity of Bhadra. Timber smuggling of valuable trees is a big problem.^[1]

Tunga-Bhadra Lift Irrigation Project promises to bring water to the rain shadow areas of Chikmagalur district by transferring water from the Tunga River to the Bhadra River,^[13] however this poses a threat of disturbance to the natural habitat of Bhadra sanctuary.^{[citation needed]}

• Bull gaur at Bhadra WLS
• Bhadra WLS located south of Bhadra dam
• Lemon pansy butterflies
• Blue winged Malabar parakeet roost
• A view of a Bhadra WLS
• Rose ringed parakeet or common parrot at Bhadra WLS
• River tern nestling learning to fly, Bhadra WLS
• Common Baron butterfly at Bhadra WLS
• Bhadra Reservoir and River Tern Islands
• Bhadra Reservoir with River Tern Islands