Anshi National Park

Anshi National Park
Name	Anshi National Park
Alt name	Anshi Wildlife Sanctuary
Iucn category	II
Nearest city	Dharwad, Hubli, Karwar
Area km2	339
Established	1987
Governing body	Karnataka Forest Department

Anshi National Park is a protected area in the Western Ghats of India administered by the Karnataka Forest Department. Located near the coastal district of Uttara Kannada District, it forms part of a network of reserves and sanctuaries within the Western Ghats (Sahyadri), adjoining Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Kali Tiger Reserve. The park is noted for its biodiversity, tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, and populations of emblematic species such as the Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, sloth bear, and Malabar giant squirrel.

Geography and Location

Anshi National Park lies in Uttara Kannada District in the state of Karnataka, situated in the Western Ghats (Sahyadri) mountain range near the Arabian Sea coast. The park is contiguous with Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kali Tiger Reserve, forming an important block within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and the Western Ghats UNESCO World Heritage Site buffer landscape. Elevations range from lowland riparian zones along the River Kali to hilltops that connect ecologically to Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary and Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary in neighboring Goa. The climate is characterised by heavy monsoon rainfall from the Southwest monsoon and a humid tropical regime, influencing vegetation gradients between tropical evergreen forest, semi-evergreen forest, and moist deciduous forest.

History and Establishment

The protected status of the area evolved through successive notifications during the late 20th century, responding to conservation initiatives linked to the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and regional biodiversity assessments influenced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the United Nations Environment Programme. Early surveys by state forestry officials and researchers associated with institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science and National Centre for Biological Sciences documented high mammalian and avian diversity, prompting the declaration of sanctuary status and eventual inclusion within larger landscape-level protection. Post-establishment, collaborative projects with organisations like the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Bombay Natural History Society helped map species distributions and develop management plans.

Flora and Fauna

Vegetation in Anshi comprises tropical evergreen forest, semi-evergreen forest, moist deciduous forest, riparian vegetation, and shola-like patches on higher ridges, hosting rich assemblages of endemic and range-restricted taxa recorded in floristic surveys by the Botanical Survey of India and botanists from the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. Tree genera common in the park include Dipterocarpus, Hopea, and Artocarpus, with understorey elements linked to Myristica swamps and liana-rich habitats. Faunal highlights include large mammals such as Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, gaur, sambar deer, spotted deer, sloth bear, and arboreal species like the Malabar giant squirrel and lion-tailed macaque at range margins. Avifauna surveys list species associated with the Western Ghats such as Malabar trogon, Nilgiri woodpigeon, Indian pitta, and black-and-orange flycatcher, alongside raptors and migratory visitors documented by ornithologists from the Bombay Natural History Society. Herpetofauna and ichthyofauna records include King cobra, Malabar pit viper, and endemic stream fishes reported in studies funded by the Department of Biotechnology.

Conservation and Management

Management responsibilities rest with the Karnataka Forest Department supported by conservation NGOs and research institutions like the Wildlife Institute of India and the Centre for Ecological Sciences. Strategies emphasize habitat protection, anti-poaching patrols, community engagement with local Konkani-speaking and indigenous Adivasi communities, and species monitoring using camera traps and line transects pioneered in collaborations with the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Landscape-level planning links Anshi to the Kali Tiger Reserve and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary to maintain connectivity for wide-ranging species such as Bengal tiger and Indian elephant. Conservation programs have also focused on invasive species control, restoration of degraded riparian corridors, and implementation of provisions under national schemes influenced by the National Wildlife Action Plan.

Tourism and Recreation

Tourism infrastructure near the park leverages gateways at Dandeli, Karwar, and Yellapur with accommodations ranging from forest lodges operated by the Karnataka Forest Department to private eco-resorts promoted by regional tourism boards including the Karnataka Tourism Department. Activities include guided wildlife safaris, birdwatching expeditions led by naturalist groups such as the Bombay Natural History Society, river rafting on the Kali River, and nature trails supported by local community guides. Visitor management attempts to balance ecotourism with strict zonation and permit systems modeled on protocols from protected areas like Bandipur National Park and Periyar National Park, integrating education initiatives and volunteering programs coordinated with universities such as the University of Mysore.

Threats and Conservation Challenges

Anshi faces threats common to Western Ghats reserves: habitat fragmentation from infrastructure projects including road corridors and hydropower proposals, human-wildlife conflict involving elephant crop raiding, poaching pressure targeting tiger and gaur, and impacts from invasive species reported in regional assessments by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. Climate change projections for the Western Ghats indicate shifts in monsoon patterns and altitudinal range changes for endemic taxa, complicating long-term conservation planning advised by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Addressing these challenges involves multi-stakeholder governance linking state agencies, local communities, conservation NGOs, research institutions, and international conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Category:Protected areas of Karnataka Category:Western Ghats