Chandoli National Park

Chandoli National Park is located in the western part of Maharashtra in the district of Sangli. The total area covered by the National Park is 317 km square and it covers the part of Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, and Ratnagiri. Chandoli National Park lies between Koyna wildlife sanctuary, Ratnagiri wildlife sanctuary and Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. This National Park has a number of flora and fauna. It includes the species of mammals, reptiles, birds, and various plants. This National Park lies in the basin area of the Warna river and apart from it there are a number of small rivers and lakes.

History

Chandoli National Park was an open jail of the Mighty Marathas. Prisoners of war during the Shivaji rule were kept here. It was also used as a recreational centre by the Marathas. Shivaji Maharaj built two forts on this park named Prachitgad and Bhairavgad. These forts played an important role during the reign of Sambhaji Maharaj, who was the son of Shivaji Maharaj. In 1985, Chandoli National Park was developed as a wildlife sanctuary. After a period of around 20 years, i.e. in 2004, it was officially given the status of a National Park. And in 2007, Chandoli National Park was also declared a Tiger reserve.

Geography

Chandoli National Park has rocky mountains and plateaus composed of laterite known as ‘Saddas’ where no vegetation grows, which is full of boulders are the significant features of the National Park. This Park is situated at the height of 2000 to 3400 ft from sea level. The Warna river flows through the park.

Chandoli National Park has semi-arid climatic conditions, and the average temperature ranges between 19 to 32 degrees Celsius. In the months of April and May, the temperature goes beyond 42 degree Celsius whereas in winter temperature goes below 10 degrees Celsius. The average annual precipitation of the National Park is around 762 mm.

An important feature of this Park is that it is completely included in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. It means the Chandoli National Park is a part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA) of India, under the ‘Project Tiger’ declared Chandoli National Park as a National Tiger Reserve in 2007. 

Fauna of Chandoli National Park

A large number of mammals, birds, and amphibians are found in Chandoli National Park. More than 22 species of mammals, 120 species of birds, and 20 plus species of amphibians are found in this national park. It is also home to tigers, leopards, bison and bears. Many species of deer, such as barking, sambar, and mouse deer, along with blackbuck are found in this National Park. A census conducted by the Forest Department showed the rise in the population of fauna species. In 2018, the first time the camera-based census was carried out in Chandoli National park, and it showed significant growth in the population of tigers. 

Flora of Chandoli National Park

Moist forests, particularly the moist deciduous forests, are found in the Chandoli National Park. Apart from it, dry evergreen vegetation such as ironwood trees, false Kelat (a type of vegetation), etc., are also available. Certain species of grasses such as Bluestem grass and Anjan grass are seen here. This National Park is also the home of insectivorous plant species such as bladderworts. Apart from the rich flora and fauna, this National Park has a number of lakes; one of them is the Tulsi Lake, which is famous for boating.

Recent development in Chandoli National Park

Chandoli National Park was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Also, on the Warna dam along with its catchment areas, a Karadi-Bhogiv hydroelectric project has been announced by the Maharashtra government. This project will undertake the area of Chandoli National Park along with the catchment of the Warna river basin. For the project, a number of villages had been successfully rehabilitated in the areas outside of the National Park. With the relocation of the villagers and cattle population, the flora and fauna of the National Park are preserved and protected.

Conclusion

Chandoli National Park is an ideal habitat for mammals, amphibians and birds. It is located in the lush green Sahyadri mountain ranges. From time to time, the Government of India and the state government made a number of steps to conserve the flora and fauna of the Park. It includes giving a status of wildlife sanctuary, then transforming it into a National Park and also providing a status of Tiger Reserve. Along with the conservation and protection measures, this National Park is one of the popular tourist destinations of Maharashtra, which provides a source of livelihood to natives.