Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary Maharashtra

In the shadow of the western ghat lies the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to more than 600 Bisons and various types of rich flora and fauna. Also known as the Dajipur Sanctuary, the park was formed in the year 1985 and immediately rose to fame due to its location. An ideal weekend getaway for wildlife enthusiasts of Maharashtra, this 351.16 square kilometers forest reserve nestled in the hotspot of biodiversity, Western Ghats, is a must visit to see bison, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, Giant Squirrel, Mouse Deer, Barking Deer, and so on.

Along with rich fauna comes the affluent flora, which has been blooming due to numerous streams scattered in the park. In the park, there are two dams; one constructed on Bhogavati river (Radhanagari Dam) and other on river Dudhganga (Kallamwadi Dam). These two dams attract numberless bird species like vultures, eagles, jungle fowl, quails, plovers, sandpipers, owlets, doves, owls, nightjars, to name a few. Also in the national park, one might see flycatcher fluttering their wings and collectively generating a peculiar sound.

To witness the beauty of the national park, one should visit in the morning and evening; in the afternoon animals retire as its too hot outside. Don't forget to visit the Bison point, 25 km in the interior of the reserve, which is a perfect place to see the view of the park.

Highlights

• Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary is full of nature's bounty; apart from spotting animals, here one can see many other things that can make the holiday a special one. Just a few stops downhill trek from the untamed wilderness lies the Konkan coast. Multiple layers of mauve hills and lake at a distance looks beautiful, especially when the sun starts showing its true colors.
• Karud Ghat, Govandsari Kurli Dam reservoir, Dhamni Dam reservoir and Phonda Ghat are the must visit attraction a holiday in Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary. Also, tourists should visit the Sunset Point in Sindhudurg area.
• On a trip to Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary, one can also visit Kolhapur, a city known for its historic settlement, fascinating temple complex, and scrumptious Kolhapuri cuisine (specially mutton and chicken dishes).
• When in village Dajipur, make a point to visit the designed display hall that tells you more about the inhabitants of the forest. The hall exhibits mounted labeled photographs and interactive quizzes.
• Flora in the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary: Anjani, Jambul, Hirda, Awala, Pisa, Ain, Kinjal, karvand, vagati (candy corn plant), ranmiri (orange climber), tamalpati, (toran), dhayati (fire-flame bush), kadipatta (curry tree)
• Fauna in Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary: In the wildlife sanctuary, there are 47 species of Mammals, 59 species of reptiles, 264 species of birds and 66 species of butterflies. The main highlight of the park is Indian bison or gaur (Bos gaurus), which are approximately 610 in number. Other mammals, inhabited in the park are Malabar pit viper, Gunther's cat skink, Deccan ground gecko, Indian leopard, sloth bear, wild boar, mouse deer, sambar, giant squirrel and wild dogs. Bird species that are commonly spotted in the park are nightjars, kingfishers, vultures, jungle fowl, warblers, flycatchers, to name a few.