The Buck stops here

by February 13, 2012 Environment

This reserve was created in 2007. It protects the much hunted and poached handsome antelope.

Perhaps not everyone is aware that less than 150 km from Bangalore is a beautiful place where the critically endangered animal, the Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) can be sighted.

This is the Maidanahalli Blackbuck Reserve. “Maidana Halli” in Kannada, means, “Village of the open meadows”. The open grassland of the Deccan Plateau have steadily shrunk due to human habitation, and it was the efforts of Wildlife Aware Nature Club (WANC) along with other NGOs and individuals from the 1990’s. This resulted in the creation of the Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve in 2007.

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The Blackbuck is a handsome variety of antelope – much hunted, and now poached, for its beautiful skin, lovely horns, and its meat. Thanks to conservationists’ efforts, both the buck and their habitat survive,in this pocket of Karnataka, along with the Rane Bennur Sanctuary.

Facts

  • Maidanahalli (Jayamangali) Blackbuck Reserve is 138 km from Bangalore, in Tumkur District.
  • The Sanctuary covers 798.33 acres, and has been declared a plastic-free zone.
  • 600 blackbuck were recorded during the October 2002 census, but this had reduced to 458 in the Feb 22, 2009 census, conducted by the Forest Department and WANC.

The grasslands are lovely to visit at any time of the year, but particularly, in the dry season, the gold of the waving meadows is beautiful.

The sun, however, gives no respite, as there is hardly any shade. Another wonder about the Reserve is the superb spectacle of the sunset, which attract photographers from far and near.

How to Reach: Drive about 138 km from Bangalore via Tumkur, 23 km from Madhugiri. Route taken from Bangalore City -> Dobbespete ->Tumkur -> Koratgere -> Madhugiri

Nearest Town: Madhugiri (23 km) or across border in Andhra Pradesh: Hindupur (apx. 20 km)

What to eat : Food is not available here, hotels available in nearby towns of Madhugiri or Hindupur.

Where to stay: There are no lodges in the area. Visitors can request forest department to give them permission to camp in the area.

Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve, Contact Personnel

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Tumkur Territorial Division, Kunigal Road,Tumkur- 5721 01 . Telephone: + 91-816-2278407

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Madhugiri Territorial Sub-Division, Forest Office, Madhugiri Town, Tumkur District. Telephone: + 91-8137-324777

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Madhugiri Territorial Range, Forest Office, Madhugiri Town,Tumkur District. Telephone: + 91-8137-283004.

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About Deepa Mohan

Deepa Mohan is a freelance writer and avid naturalist.
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Comments:

  1. Deepa Mohan says:
    February 15, 2012 at 4:09 am

    The Reserve is also a great place, in winter, to sight the Eurasian Marsh Harrier (a bird that is a winter migrant) and the Montagu’s Harriers…and plenty of other species. A picture of a hunting male Montagu’s Harrier is here:

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150566287973878&set=a.10150562602133878.391867.587058877&type=3&theater

    (You need a Facebook account to be able to see it.)

    Reply
  2. Chidambaran Subramanian says:
    February 15, 2012 at 11:02 am

    The article says go via Dobbspet – Tumkur – Koratagere – Madhugiri. I disagree. The better route is go towards Devarayanadurga from Dobbspet , go past Dev’durga towards Koratagere and then Madhugiri.
    Go under the Dobbspet flyover on NH4 and then take the road at 30degres to the right It says Madhugiri

    Reply
  3. Deepa Mohan says:
    February 15, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    Thanks for the route input, Chidambaran Subramanian!

    Reply

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