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Dandeli
is a natural habitat for wildlife including tigers, leopards, black panthers,
elephants, gaur, deer, antelopes, and bears. It is the second largest wildlife
sanctuary in Karnataka and has been designated as a Tiger reserve in 2007. The
jungle is also home to many kinds of reptiles and around 297 varieties of
birds. The rapid expansion of industry has raised fears of ecological damage
and local voluntary groups have formed to address the issue.
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The undulating streams, swaying bamboos, abundance of wildlife, sylvan surroundings and trekking tracts make Dandeli sanctuary a unique holiday destination. River kali and its tributaries, Kaneri and Nagajhari, meander through the forest. Sighting animals is difficult and always involves an element of luck. The sanctuary is home to the barking, spotted and mouse deer, sloth bear, panther, tiger, gaur, elephant, wild dog, civet cat, bison, jackal, languor and giant flying squirrel, besides a variety of colorful birds and reptiles. The reptilian and amphibian fauna of the region include a variety of ruffles and frogs. Black Panther is one of the rarest animals in the wild, which is the most common form melanocytic leopards which are selectively bred for captivity in zoos, due to its selective breeding; the number of black panthers found in the world is limited. Official records say that there are few of them existing in Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary.
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Sighting the animal is very rare and mostly depends on tourist's luck but there are people indeed who have actually seen the mysterious black big cat glide through the forest. The dark coloration of the panthers gives them a huge hunting advantage.
Abhayaranya
Dandeli offers tourism information on Dandeli wildlife sanctuary, Jungle and
adventure tours, White Water River rafting, and jungle safari holiday packages
for Dandeli.