Forum > Photography > Jayamangali Black Buck Reserve - Mydanahalli village, Madhugiri town

Posted by Akshay.S on February 12, 2011

 
Myself and my father with his friend went to the Jayamangali Black Buck Reserve, situated near Mydenahalli, a small village about 23 kms frm Madhugiri Town. The place boasts of about 4000 to 5000 Black Bucks, 6 leopards, jackals and the famous Indian Fox and about 20 to 30 species of birds including the most endangered Montagu's Harrier , Red Necked Falcon and the Steppe Eagle. The place is totally comprised of grasslands similar to the African Savannas.

Mydanahalli is a place for Black Bucks making it the second sanctuary apart from the famous Rani Bennur Black Buck Sanctuary. Recently, The forest department sanctioned funds for the construction of two rooms near the entry gate for the sanctuary. The rooms are available at an affordable price of . Booking are to be made from the Forest Department, Tumkur( address is given in the next page ). Mydenahalli is a total grass landed area providing the Black Bucks to roam around the sanctuary .

Mydanahalli is not difficult to be reached. Here is some info :-
 

Nearest hotel for good food       : KYATASANDRA            Distance : 38  kms

Nearest Bus Station                  : MADHUGIRI                   Distance : 23  kms

Nearest Railway                       : KYATASANDRA            Distance : 38  kms

Nearest Airport                        : BANGALORE                   Distance : 163 kms

all the above given data is in approximate calculation .

REACHING THERE

Mydanahalli can be reached from two different routes. They are :-

1) FROM BANGALORE TOWARDS TUMKUR :-  
    Bangalore -----> Nelamangala -----> Kyatasandra -----> Tumkur ----->

    After reaching Tumkur, cross 3 flyovers and then after a few yards a mud road comes to the right side of  the higway main road . Follow that road.

     After about 40 kms you will reach a village called Koratagere, continue further about 5 kms to reach a town called Madhugiri. Again Continue further 23kms

     to reach Mydanahalli and from the main road. A mud path leads to the right, follow that and there you will reach the main gate of  the  Reserve.


2) FROM BANGALORE TOWARDS DODDABALLAPUR :-

    Bangalore -----> Hebbal -----> Yelahanka -----> Doddaballapur -----> Gowribidhanur -----> Thondebavi ----->

    Kodigenahalli -----> Maidanahalli

    I don't know when and where to deviate from the main road as i forgot to note down the names of small villages though i feel this is the best route to enter the black buck reserve. I will try to note them down when i go there next time .

AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION

When you travel to mydanahalli, i suggest you to stay the whole day in the sanctuary because you may get rare happenings in nature. Usually I would stay till 5'o clock in the evening and I would return, but now the Karnataka Forset Department has sanctioned funds in building two rooms in the sanctuary. U can stay there. The rooms are luxurious and are at an affordable price.


Cost of the rooms              : Rs. 300/- per room
Booking to be made at       : Aranya Bhavan,R.K. Nagar,Kunigal Road
                                           Tumkur
                                           Ph :- 0816 - 2201196 / 97
 

Person to contact                : RFO


WHAT YOU MAY GET TO PHOTOGRAPH

Apart from the Black Bucks , you can get a wide variety of various wildlife subjects to shoot.
Wildlife what you can sight are :-
* Indian Fox ( exception )
* Leopard ( i have not even seen once )
* Montagu's Harrier
* Red Necked Falcon
* Steppe Eagle
* Short - Toed Snake Eagle
* White Eyed Buzzard
* Marsh harrier
* Oriental Honey Buzzard
* Snakes ( If you are lucky )

The existence of Leopards in Mydanahalli is not known to me. I have just listed it because i remember my father telling me that one of the photographers team had spotted a leopard pug mark.

THE BEST SEASON FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

According to me, the best season for photography is during winter. It is because you get not only

Black Bucks, but also you will get the birds of prey as they will be available to photograph only

during the winter in whole of south India. Even the sanctuary will be green. You can also enjoy

the pleasant winter climate. Hence you can leave your place at an ideal time around 4:30 am in

the morning so that you can reach the sanctuary around 8:00 am.

 

Dont forget to have your breakfast packed or you can have it on your way to Tumkur, you will

not get to eat anything in and around the sanctuary in 5 kms of radius.

 
WILDLIFE I WITNESSED AND PHOTOGRAPHED

On my first trip to Mydanahalli I saw only the Black Bucks and the White eyed buzzard and also

the Red Necked Falcon. But my second trip was somewhat successful. I got to see 10 species of birds and 2 species of animals. As you well know that you may not be successful in all the outings you go, you maybe successful in one of the ten trips. That happens for all of us. Hence I didn't get disappointed when I first went to this sanctuary.

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Murali Sreekantan says

November 19, 2012 at 11:02 PM

Hi Akshay,

lovely blog and pretty good information. I couldn't find the pictures you have taken (including the other site you have mentioned). love to see them.
btw...should i take any prior permission before entering the forest?

have a great day.

regards,
murali


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