Nagarhole National Park is one of the premier tiger reserves along with the adjoining Bandipur Tiger Reserve and is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. With a healthy predator-prey ratio, the national park is home to tigers, leopards, chital, sambars, gaurs and Asiatic elephants. Nagarhole means snake stream in Kannada, named so after the serpentine river that runs through the jungle.

Spread across an impressive 571 sq km, the park is home to 250 species of birds like the heron, stork, egret, duck, kite, eagle, falcon, partridge, peafowl, lapwing, wagtail, sandpiper, woodpecker, sunbird, warbler, babbler, owl and others. Some reptiles are also found here, such as the marsh crocodile, star tortoise, rat snake, Russell’ s viper and Indian python.