Biligirirangan Hills
Encyclopedia
The Biligiriranga Hills, commonly called B R Hills, is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka
, at its border with Tamil Nadu
in South India
. The area is called Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a protected reserve
under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
. Being at the confluence of the Western Ghats
and the Eastern Ghats
, the sanctuary is home to eco-systems that are unique to both the mountain ranges. The site was declared a Tiger Reserve in December 2010.
and Kollegal
Taluks of Chamarajanagar District
of Karnataka
. The hills are contiguos with the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary
to the south, in the Erode District
of Tamil Nadu
. The hills that give the range its name are situated 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) from Mysore and 254 kilometres (157.8 mi) from Bangalore
. The hills may be reached either from Yelandur
or via Chamarajanagar
.
The hills are located at the easternmost edge of the Western Ghats
and support diverse flora and fauna in view of the various habitat types supported. A wildlife sanctuary of 322.4 square kilometres (124.5 sq mi) was created around the temple on 27 June 1974, and enlarged to 539.52 square kilometres (208.3 sq mi) on 14 January 1987. The sanctuary derives its name Biligiri from the white rock face that constitutes the major hill crowned with the temple of Lord Rangaswamy or from the white mist and the silver clouds that cover these lofty hills for a greater part of the year.
A unique blend of a wild life sanctuary and hill station, the B.R. Hills is heaven for a variety of wild animals and birds, making it a must for those who love the jungle its pristine glory. Here, one is welcome to unwind and enjoy its gifts unfettered by Civilization. One can offer an experience of a life time where, the tourists you can only expect the unexpected, the untamed and the unexplored.
Location: The Camp is located at Kyathadevara Gudi (K. Gudi) within B..R. Hills Sanctuary limits which is just 86 km from Mysore and 225 km from Bangalore (Via Mysore). An alternate road from Bangalore is Via Kollegal. K. Gudi is also close to Coimbatore, just 175 km away (Via Chamarajangar)
The camp is open throughout the year. Situated at an altitude of 3300 ft. to 5000 ft., the sanctuary offers salubrious climate all the year round. Wild life sighting is excellent at all times, irrespective of the season.
Accommodation: Eight twin bedded tented cottages, three ethnic log huts on stilts and well furnished rooms at the Maharaja's Hunting Lodge, can easily accommodate 35 to 40 guests at a time. The K. Gudi Camp also provides an ideal setting for hosting meetings and conferences.
The temple consists of the idol of Sri Biligiri Ranganatha and Ranganayaki the Lord's spouse.This temple is of greater significance for many Srivaishnavites. Special pooja to the deities are performed on Fridays.
Train : Nearest train station is in Chamarajanagar, 40 km from BR Hills. Daily 5 trains connect Chamarajanagar with Mysore and 1 among 5 goes to Tirupati Via-Bangalore .
Flight : Bangalore International Airport, 220 km from BR Hills, is the nearest International airport, connected by all major
destinations in the country. Coimbatore Airport,185 km from BR Hills, is nearer but not commendable International Airport.But Coimbatore has connectivity to all metro cities of India.
Doddasampige(Michaelia Champaca), A sacred grove revered by the soliga's:
There are a large number of "champaka" trees together with several covering the area with thick shadow. To the east of the riverbank, of the river Bhargavi( a tributary of the cauvery) stands a gigantic champaka tree, about 43 metre in height and the girth of trunk measuring about 20 meters. The 600 years old Big Michelia champaka known as "Doddasampige" is holiest of all for the soliga tribes and other local people. The tree is compared to Lord shiva, who is having a braid. The "Doddasampige" has been the God of the soliga tribe's, who perform the fire dance surrounding the tree on the eve of "Maha Shivarathri" festival. The tree bears usual flowers of both reddish and yellowish color during April. On the east side of the platform there are more than 100 lingams, which are worshipped. This champaka tree, a sacred symbol to soliga tribal people, symbolizes the tribal relation with nature.
Those trekker's who are visiting BRT wildlife sanctuary would like to visit Doddasampige by trekking. The forest area is a home for many medicinal and other endemic species. The scrub vegetation type of forest is a home for "Adina cordifolia", "Zizyphus", "Emblica officinalis", "santalum album", "Doispiras", "chloroxylon" and "Acacia sps". The moist deciduous forests which includes Terminalia paniculata, Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia chalbula, Terminalia bellerica, Dalbergia lattifolia, Lagerstromia lanceolata, Tectona grandis and Pterocarpus marsupium. The semi evergreen forests which includes Kydia calycina, Michelia champaca, syzigium cuminii, Boschofia javanica and Bombax celiba. The BRT is witness for 79 species of woods. Among them, Palaquium elliptium, Mesua ferrea and Dlea glandulifere are important. Apart from the above listed species woody climber(liana) Entada pursuata with its large pods is present near B.R.Hills. The BRT sanctuary is mainly Combretaceae- rich forest. Variety of Orchids are also present in the sanctuary. The rare variety plants like Lillium nilagiricance and Remusatea vivipara grown in this area. The soliga tribes are accustomed to use more than 300 herbs for the treatment of various aliments.
and the Western Ghats
allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.we the students of NHVPS are also going over here.
The BR hills along with the Male-Mahadeshwara (MM Hills) range forms a distinctly unusual ridge running north-south amidst the plains of Bangalore (~900 m above MSL), Mysore(~800 m above MSL) and Krishnagiri(~450 m above MSL). The peaks of these lofty range rise as high as 1800 m (BR hills 1400 to 1800 m; MM Hills 1000 to 1200 m). The highest hill is Kattari Betta, at 1800 MSL. Various observations point to a possible biogeographic link between BR hills and Nilgiri
ranges.
Biogeographically
, the sanctuary is unique. It is located between 11° and 12° N and the ridges of the hills run in the north-south direction. It is a projection of the Western Ghats in a north-easterly direction and meets the splintered hills of the Eastern Ghats at 78° E. This unique extension of Western Ghats constitutes a live bridge between the Eastern and Western Ghats with the sanctuary located almost in the middle of this bridge. Thus, the biota of BRT sanctuary can be expected to be predominantly of Western ghats in nature with significant proportion of eastern elements as well.
, riparian, evergreen
, sholas and grasslands.
The forests harbour close to 800 species
of plants from various families and shows a close affinity to the Western Ghats.
ecoregion. The forests range from scrub forests at lower elevations, degraded by over-use, to the tall deciduous forests typical of the ecoregion, to stunted shola forests and montane grasslands at the highest elevations, which exceed 1800 meters. The forests form an important wildlife corridor between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, linking the largest populations of Asian Elephants and tigers in southern India. The most conspicuous mammals are the herds of wild elephants. The BR hills is the only forest east of the main Western ghats mountain ranges in the central southern peninsula
to harbour these panchyderms in large numbers. The forests were the study area for R. Sukumar, a scientist who studied the elephants of the area in the early eighties. A recent survey has revealed the presence of 17 Tigers in this sanctuary.
The BR hills has been a good place for viewing large game and at the same time encountering numerous smaller life forms. The forests have been famous for the Gaur
, a large Asian bovid
. There are about 26 species of mammals recorded in the sanctuary.
The other mammals include sambhar, chital
, the shy barking deer which are quite common here and the rare four-horned antelope. Carnivores include tigers, leopard
s, wild dogs
, lesser cats and sloth bear
s and among arboreal mammals two species of primate
s and three species of squirrel
s including the giant flying squirrel are recorded. A recent (2005) survey of tigers by DNA analysis of scat
samples has revealed 17 tigers, although the number may be more. 254 species of birds recorded in the BR hills. These include the enigmatic southern population of the White-winged Tit
(Parus nuchalis), a specimen of which was collected by R. C. Morris and now housed in the Natural History museum at Tring.
A recently discovered species includes a microhylid frog Microhyla sholigari
, named after the Soliga
s, an indigenous tribe that inhabit these hills.
The forests are managed by the Karnataka Forest Department. An IFS officer
of the rank of a Deputy Conservator of Forests is in charge of the sanctuary. The officer operates from his office in Chamarajanagar. For administrative convenience, the sanctuary is divided into four ranges - Yelandur, Kollegal, Chamarajanagar and Punjur ranges, with the Kollegal range being the largest. Each range is in turn headed by a Range Forest Officer
.
tribe. The forest regions of Yelandur, Chamrajanagar and Kollegal
, including the hilly tracts and foothills of Biligirirangan and Male Mahadeshwara in the southern part of Karnataka, are inhabited by nearly twenty thousand Soliga tribal people. The Soligas inhabiting this range were nature worshippers originally, and revere a large Champaka tree (Michelia champaca
), called Dodda Sampige in the local language. (See Soliga
section for details)
Randolph C. Morris, a Scotsman introduced Coffee into the hills in the latter half of the 19th century. The estate he established at Honnametti was maintained by his son Col. Ralph Morris
, a hunter-naturalist, who published prolifically about the Natural history of the hills in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society
. He left the hills after independence, and the estate is privately owned. His daughter, Monica Jackson, revisited the places and wrote about her memories in the book Going back. Among the many reputed guests that Col. Morris had, were Dr. Salim Ali
, who visited him during the Birds of Mysore survey and E P Gee
, a naturalist. The estate still preserves the home of the Morrises. Not far from this estate is the Honnametti Kallu, a boulder which gives a metallic clang when struck with a rock. Soliga legend has it that the rock has gold within. Honnametti itself means 'golden footprint' and refers to a legend that the Lord Ranganatha leapt across the hills changing his shape at each step and leaving his footprint on the hills.
The hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha
or Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name. The local form of the deity is called Biligiriranga and is depicted in a unique standing position. The Annual Car festival of the deity held during “Vaishakha “in the month of April, is famous in the region and attracts thousands of pilgrims from far and wide., the ratha festival is celebrated at Biligiriranga Hills. The local tribes present a large pair of sleepers measuring 1 foot (0.3048 m) and 9 inches, made up of skin, to the Ranganathaswamy once in two years.
There are two local NGOs which work for integrated tribal development and biodiversity
conservation in the sanctuary.
was on the run. After his death, the quarrying activities have taken off with renewed vigour with strong political backing. The forest department and the local NGOs were instrumental in banning disposal of plastic within the sanctuary.
Overgrazing, firewood collection etc. are other threats.
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, at its border with Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. The area is called Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a protected reserve
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 refers to a sweeping package of legislation enacted in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks...
. Being at the confluence of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
and the Eastern Ghats
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats or Eastern Ghauts are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. They are eroded and cut through by the...
, the sanctuary is home to eco-systems that are unique to both the mountain ranges. The site was declared a Tiger Reserve in December 2010.
Location
The hills are in the YelandurYelandur
Yalandur is a small taluka town in Chamarajanagar district in the Indian state of Karnataka.It has historic and cultural importance in this region- Geography :Yelandur is located at . It has an average elevation of 555 metres ....
and Kollegal
Kollegal
Kollegal is one of the major taluks in the Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka State in the south of India. Kollegal is well known for its silk industry which attracts traders from all over the state.-History:...
Taluks of Chamarajanagar District
Chamarajanagar district
Chamarajanagara is the southern-most district in the state of Karnataka, India. It was carved out of the original larger Mysore District in the year 1998...
of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. The hills are contiguos with the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary
Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary
Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in South India, declared in 2008, and enlarged in 2011, which covers forest area of . This is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. It covers Sathyamangalam taluk and parts of Gobichettipalayam Taluk of Erode District in the north...
to the south, in the Erode District
Erode District
Erode District is a western district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with Erode as its headquarters. Until the year 1996, Erode district was called as Periyar District....
of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. The hills that give the range its name are situated 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) from Mysore and 254 kilometres (157.8 mi) from Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. The hills may be reached either from Yelandur
Yelandur
Yalandur is a small taluka town in Chamarajanagar district in the Indian state of Karnataka.It has historic and cultural importance in this region- Geography :Yelandur is located at . It has an average elevation of 555 metres ....
or via Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar is a town in the southern end of Karnataka, a state in India. It is also the headquarters of the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is named after Chamaraja Wodeyar IX , king of Mysore, who was born in the town...
.
The hills are located at the easternmost edge of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
and support diverse flora and fauna in view of the various habitat types supported. A wildlife sanctuary of 322.4 square kilometres (124.5 sq mi) was created around the temple on 27 June 1974, and enlarged to 539.52 square kilometres (208.3 sq mi) on 14 January 1987. The sanctuary derives its name Biligiri from the white rock face that constitutes the major hill crowned with the temple of Lord Rangaswamy or from the white mist and the silver clouds that cover these lofty hills for a greater part of the year.
A unique blend of a wild life sanctuary and hill station, the B.R. Hills is heaven for a variety of wild animals and birds, making it a must for those who love the jungle its pristine glory. Here, one is welcome to unwind and enjoy its gifts unfettered by Civilization. One can offer an experience of a life time where, the tourists you can only expect the unexpected, the untamed and the unexplored.
Location: The Camp is located at Kyathadevara Gudi (K. Gudi) within B..R. Hills Sanctuary limits which is just 86 km from Mysore and 225 km from Bangalore (Via Mysore). An alternate road from Bangalore is Via Kollegal. K. Gudi is also close to Coimbatore, just 175 km away (Via Chamarajangar)
The camp is open throughout the year. Situated at an altitude of 3300 ft. to 5000 ft., the sanctuary offers salubrious climate all the year round. Wild life sighting is excellent at all times, irrespective of the season.
Accommodation: Eight twin bedded tented cottages, three ethnic log huts on stilts and well furnished rooms at the Maharaja's Hunting Lodge, can easily accommodate 35 to 40 guests at a time. The K. Gudi Camp also provides an ideal setting for hosting meetings and conferences.
Biligirirangaswamy Temple
The hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name. The local form of the deity is called Biligiriranga and is depicted in a unique standing position. The Annual Car festival of the deity held during “Vaishakha “in the month of April, is famous in the region and attracts thousands of pilgrims from far and wide., the ratha festival is celebrated at Biligiriranga Hills. The local tribes present a large pair of slippers measuring 1 foot (0.3048 m) and 9 inches, made up of skin, to the Ranganathaswamy once in two years.[10].The temple consists of the idol of Sri Biligiri Ranganatha and Ranganayaki the Lord's spouse.This temple is of greater significance for many Srivaishnavites. Special pooja to the deities are performed on Fridays.
How to reach B R Hills
By Road : Take the Bangalore – Mysore highway, and drive till Maddur. Turn left after leaving Maddur and drive till you reach Malavalli. Continue driving past Malavalli and get to Kollegala town. BR Hills is another 30 minutes drive from Kollegala.Those who come from Coimbatore can take either KSRTC or TNSTC to reach Chamarajanagar, buses fly every 20 minutes.Train : Nearest train station is in Chamarajanagar, 40 km from BR Hills. Daily 5 trains connect Chamarajanagar with Mysore and 1 among 5 goes to Tirupati Via-Bangalore .
Flight : Bangalore International Airport, 220 km from BR Hills, is the nearest International airport, connected by all major
destinations in the country. Coimbatore Airport,185 km from BR Hills, is nearer but not commendable International Airport.But Coimbatore has connectivity to all metro cities of India.
Dodda Sampige
The Big Michelia champaka known as "Doddasampige" is holiest of all for the soliga tribes in Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple(BRT) Wildlife sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district.Doddasampige(Michaelia Champaca), A sacred grove revered by the soliga's:
There are a large number of "champaka" trees together with several covering the area with thick shadow. To the east of the riverbank, of the river Bhargavi( a tributary of the cauvery) stands a gigantic champaka tree, about 43 metre in height and the girth of trunk measuring about 20 meters. The 600 years old Big Michelia champaka known as "Doddasampige" is holiest of all for the soliga tribes and other local people. The tree is compared to Lord shiva, who is having a braid. The "Doddasampige" has been the God of the soliga tribe's, who perform the fire dance surrounding the tree on the eve of "Maha Shivarathri" festival. The tree bears usual flowers of both reddish and yellowish color during April. On the east side of the platform there are more than 100 lingams, which are worshipped. This champaka tree, a sacred symbol to soliga tribal people, symbolizes the tribal relation with nature.
Those trekker's who are visiting BRT wildlife sanctuary would like to visit Doddasampige by trekking. The forest area is a home for many medicinal and other endemic species. The scrub vegetation type of forest is a home for "Adina cordifolia", "Zizyphus", "Emblica officinalis", "santalum album", "Doispiras", "chloroxylon" and "Acacia sps". The moist deciduous forests which includes Terminalia paniculata, Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia chalbula, Terminalia bellerica, Dalbergia lattifolia, Lagerstromia lanceolata, Tectona grandis and Pterocarpus marsupium. The semi evergreen forests which includes Kydia calycina, Michelia champaca, syzigium cuminii, Boschofia javanica and Bombax celiba. The BRT is witness for 79 species of woods. Among them, Palaquium elliptium, Mesua ferrea and Dlea glandulifere are important. Apart from the above listed species woody climber(liana) Entada pursuata with its large pods is present near B.R.Hills. The BRT sanctuary is mainly Combretaceae- rich forest. Variety of Orchids are also present in the sanctuary. The rare variety plants like Lillium nilagiricance and Remusatea vivipara grown in this area. The soliga tribes are accustomed to use more than 300 herbs for the treatment of various aliments.
Hill range
The BR hills links the Eastern GhatsEastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats or Eastern Ghauts are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. They are eroded and cut through by the...
and the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.we the students of NHVPS are also going over here.
The BR hills along with the Male-Mahadeshwara (MM Hills) range forms a distinctly unusual ridge running north-south amidst the plains of Bangalore (~900 m above MSL), Mysore(~800 m above MSL) and Krishnagiri(~450 m above MSL). The peaks of these lofty range rise as high as 1800 m (BR hills 1400 to 1800 m; MM Hills 1000 to 1200 m). The highest hill is Kattari Betta, at 1800 MSL. Various observations point to a possible biogeographic link between BR hills and Nilgiri
Nilgiris (mountains)
The Nilgiri , often referred to as the Nilgiri Hills, are a range of mountains with at least 24 peaks above , in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu state at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala states in Southern India...
ranges.
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
, the sanctuary is unique. It is located between 11° and 12° N and the ridges of the hills run in the north-south direction. It is a projection of the Western Ghats in a north-easterly direction and meets the splintered hills of the Eastern Ghats at 78° E. This unique extension of Western Ghats constitutes a live bridge between the Eastern and Western Ghats with the sanctuary located almost in the middle of this bridge. Thus, the biota of BRT sanctuary can be expected to be predominantly of Western ghats in nature with significant proportion of eastern elements as well.
Climate and vegetation
The sanctuary, ~35 km long north-south and ~15 km wide east-west is spread over an area of 540 km² with a wide variation in mean temperature (9 °C to 16 °C minimum and 20 °C to 38 °C maximum) and annual rainfall (600 mm at the base and 3000 mm at the top of the hills) The hill ranges, within the sanctuary raise as high as 1200 m above the basal plateau of 600 m and run north-south in two ridges. The wide range of climatic conditions along with the altitude variations within the small area of the sanctuary have translated it into a highly heterogeneous mosaic of habitats such that we find almost all major forest vegetation types – scrub, deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, riparian, evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
, sholas and grasslands.
The forests harbour close to 800 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of plants from various families and shows a close affinity to the Western Ghats.
Flora and fauna
The Biligiris are Charnocktite hills, covered with tropical dry broadleaf forest, part of the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forestsSouth Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
The South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests is a dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. The ecoregion lies in the southern Deccan Plateau, within the Western Ghats' rain shadow. It receives of rain annually, much less than the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests and South...
ecoregion. The forests range from scrub forests at lower elevations, degraded by over-use, to the tall deciduous forests typical of the ecoregion, to stunted shola forests and montane grasslands at the highest elevations, which exceed 1800 meters. The forests form an important wildlife corridor between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, linking the largest populations of Asian Elephants and tigers in southern India. The most conspicuous mammals are the herds of wild elephants. The BR hills is the only forest east of the main Western ghats mountain ranges in the central southern peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
to harbour these panchyderms in large numbers. The forests were the study area for R. Sukumar, a scientist who studied the elephants of the area in the early eighties. A recent survey has revealed the presence of 17 Tigers in this sanctuary.
The BR hills has been a good place for viewing large game and at the same time encountering numerous smaller life forms. The forests have been famous for the Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, a large Asian bovid
Bovid
A bovid is any of almost 140 species of cloven-hoofed ruminant mammal at least the males of which bear characteristic unbranching horns covered in a permanent sheath of keratin....
. There are about 26 species of mammals recorded in the sanctuary.
The other mammals include sambhar, chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
, the shy barking deer which are quite common here and the rare four-horned antelope. Carnivores include tigers, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s, wild dogs
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
, lesser cats and sloth bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
s and among arboreal mammals two species of primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s and three species of squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s including the giant flying squirrel are recorded. A recent (2005) survey of tigers by DNA analysis of scat
Scat
-Education:* School and College Ability Test* Somerset College of Arts and Technology, a community college in Somerset, England* Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology, a community college in Shropshire, England-Games:* Thirty-one , a card game...
samples has revealed 17 tigers, although the number may be more. 254 species of birds recorded in the BR hills. These include the enigmatic southern population of the White-winged Tit
White-winged Tit
The White-winged Tit sometimes called the White-naped Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is endemic to India where it is found in dry thorn scrub forest in two disjunct populations, in western India and southern India...
(Parus nuchalis), a specimen of which was collected by R. C. Morris and now housed in the Natural History museum at Tring.
A recently discovered species includes a microhylid frog Microhyla sholigari
Microhyla sholigari
Microhyla sholigari is a species of microhylid frog, endemic to southern India.-Description:The frog was described from the Biligirirangan Hills in South India and is named after the Soliga tribal people living in the forests in and around these hills...
, named after the Soliga
Soliga
A Soliga is a member of a tribe in India that inhabits the Biligirirangan and associated hill ranges in Southern Karnataka, mostly in Chamarajanagar District, bordering the Erode district of Tamil Nadu . Most of them are concentrated in and around the BR Hills in Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of...
s, an indigenous tribe that inhabit these hills.
Management
Indian Forest Service
The Indian Forest Service is the Forestry service of India. It is one of the three All India Services of the Indian government, along with the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service; its employees are recruited by the national government but serve under the state governments or...
of the rank of a Deputy Conservator of Forests is in charge of the sanctuary. The officer operates from his office in Chamarajanagar. For administrative convenience, the sanctuary is divided into four ranges - Yelandur, Kollegal, Chamarajanagar and Punjur ranges, with the Kollegal range being the largest. Each range is in turn headed by a Range Forest Officer
Forest range officer
A forest range officer is an officer belonging to a state forest service in the Government of India. He is responsible for managing the forests, environment and wildlife related issues of a forest range of a state or a union territory of India. He is assisted by other state forest officials...
.
People and culture
For hundreds of years, this region has been the home for the semi-nomadic SoligaSoliga
A Soliga is a member of a tribe in India that inhabits the Biligirirangan and associated hill ranges in Southern Karnataka, mostly in Chamarajanagar District, bordering the Erode district of Tamil Nadu . Most of them are concentrated in and around the BR Hills in Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of...
tribe. The forest regions of Yelandur, Chamrajanagar and Kollegal
Kollegal
Kollegal is one of the major taluks in the Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka State in the south of India. Kollegal is well known for its silk industry which attracts traders from all over the state.-History:...
, including the hilly tracts and foothills of Biligirirangan and Male Mahadeshwara in the southern part of Karnataka, are inhabited by nearly twenty thousand Soliga tribal people. The Soligas inhabiting this range were nature worshippers originally, and revere a large Champaka tree (Michelia champaca
Michelia
Michelia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Magnolia family . The genus includes about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia , including southern China.-Description:The Magnoliaceae are an ancient family; fossil plants...
), called Dodda Sampige in the local language. (See Soliga
Soliga
A Soliga is a member of a tribe in India that inhabits the Biligirirangan and associated hill ranges in Southern Karnataka, mostly in Chamarajanagar District, bordering the Erode district of Tamil Nadu . Most of them are concentrated in and around the BR Hills in Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of...
section for details)
Randolph C. Morris, a Scotsman introduced Coffee into the hills in the latter half of the 19th century. The estate he established at Honnametti was maintained by his son Col. Ralph Morris
Ralph Camroux Morris
Colonel Ralph Camroux Morris was a British Army officer and hunter-naturalist who was born in India. His father was a Scottish planter, Randolph Camroux Morris who was the first to introduce coffee in the Biligirirangans....
, a hunter-naturalist, who published prolifically about the Natural history of the hills in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...
. He left the hills after independence, and the estate is privately owned. His daughter, Monica Jackson, revisited the places and wrote about her memories in the book Going back. Among the many reputed guests that Col. Morris had, were Dr. Salim Ali
Salim Ali (ornithologist)
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Known as the "birdman of India", Salim Ali was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and his bird books helped develop ornithology...
, who visited him during the Birds of Mysore survey and E P Gee
Edward Pritchard Gee
Edward Pritchard Gee was a Cambridge educated, Anglo-Indian tea-planter and an amateur naturalist in Assam, India. He is credited with the 1953 discovery of Gee's Golden Langur...
, a naturalist. The estate still preserves the home of the Morrises. Not far from this estate is the Honnametti Kallu, a boulder which gives a metallic clang when struck with a rock. Soliga legend has it that the rock has gold within. Honnametti itself means 'golden footprint' and refers to a legend that the Lord Ranganatha leapt across the hills changing his shape at each step and leaving his footprint on the hills.
The hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha
Ranganatha
Ranganātha , also known as Sri Ranganatha, Ranganathar, or Ranga, is a Hindu deity, more well known in South India. The deity is a resting form of Lord Vishnu, one of the foremost of Hindu Gods. His consort is Goddess Lakshmi, also known as Ranganayaki, Thayar...
or Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name. The local form of the deity is called Biligiriranga and is depicted in a unique standing position. The Annual Car festival of the deity held during “Vaishakha “in the month of April, is famous in the region and attracts thousands of pilgrims from far and wide., the ratha festival is celebrated at Biligiriranga Hills. The local tribes present a large pair of sleepers measuring 1 foot (0.3048 m) and 9 inches, made up of skin, to the Ranganathaswamy once in two years.
Anthropology
There have been numerous megalithic burial sites that have been discovered from within and in the immediate vicinity of the sanctuary, testifying to the presence of indigenous people in these regions for a long time.There are two local NGOs which work for integrated tribal development and biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
conservation in the sanctuary.
Threats
Quarrying in the fringes of the hills is rampant after the brief lull of activities during the time when the dreaded bandit VeerappanVeerappan
Koose Muniswamy Veerappan commonly known as Veerappan, was a notorious dacoit, or robber bandit, of India. He was active for a period of years in a broad swath of land covering 6,000 km² in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu...
was on the run. After his death, the quarrying activities have taken off with renewed vigour with strong political backing. The forest department and the local NGOs were instrumental in banning disposal of plastic within the sanctuary.
Overgrazing, firewood collection etc. are other threats.