Sharavathi Wildlife Sanctuary is in Sagar of Shimoga District in Karnataka. It is 350 Kms from Bangalore. Located near Jog Falls, the sanctuary covers the Sharavathi Valley Region, near the western border of Karnataka. It is spread over an area of 431 Kms.
The sanctuary is nourished by the Sharavathi river. Linganamakki reservoir spread over an area of 128.7 kms is a part of this sanctuary.
The remaining area has been divided into core zone 74.33 kms, buffer zone 170.67 kms and tourism zone 57.53 kms. The Sanctuary is cloaked in evergreen, semi-green and moist deciduous forests.
Jog Falls. Image courtesy Sateesh Mane
The forest is home to a variety of mammals, birds and reptiles. The sanctuary is a refuge of the endangered Lion-tailed macaque. Other mammals include tiger, leopard (black panther), wild dog, jackal, sloth bear, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, wild pig, common langur, bonnet macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine, otter and pangolin.
Reptiles include king cobra, python, rat snake, crocodile and monitor lizard.
Some of the avian species found in the sanctuary include three species of hornbill, paradise flycatcher, racket-tailed drongo, blue-throated barbet and Indian lories and lorikeets. It is an excellent location for spotting horn-bills, woodpeckers, minivets and herons
There are many butterflies in the sanctuary.
- Danaids
- Glassy Tiger
- Dark Blue Tiger
- Common Crow
- Tree Nymph
The backwaters of the Sharavati Wildlife Sanctuary offer excellent opportunities for water sports. Some of the water sports possible here are canoeing, kayaking and wind surfing. Bird-watching enthusiasts also visit this place.
Best Season: The best seasons are Nov-May. It is open through out the year.
How to get there
- By Air: The nearest airport to Shimoga is at Hubli which is at a distance of 165 Km. Other airports accessible from Shimoga are Mangalore (200 Km) and Bangalore (274 Kms). In near future, an airport at Sogane is expected to open. It is around 6 Km from Shimoga.
- By Rail: Shimoga has its own railhead and is well connected to Bangalore and Mysore by regular trains. Though connection with other cities of India is less.
- By Road: Shimoga is connected by NH 206 to the capital city Bangalore. Distance between the two cities is 274 km and can be covered in about 6 hrs. The route to take is Bangalore –>Tumkur –>Arasikere —>Shimoga —>Sagar
There are regular buses between the two cities. Shimoga can also be approached from Mangalore and Udupi. The entire route is quite picturesque. Luxury coaches run by KSRTC are the most convenient way of commuting.
Where to stay
The Rest House is on the edge of the Linganamakki reservoir, amidst semi- evergreen forest, approximately 3 km from the main road. You can also stay at Jog Falls.