Karnataka's first wolf sanctuary may come up in Koppal

Karnataka is just a step away from having its first wildlife sanctuary exclusively for wolves (Indian Grey Wolf) in the drylands of Bankapur in Koppal district of the Kalyana Karnataka region.

A proposal to declare 822.03 acres of forest area as ‘Bankapur Wolf Sanctuary’ is expected to come up for approval on Tuesday when the Karnataka Wildlife Board, led by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, meets.

Melkote in Karnataka is said to have housed a wolf sanctuary that was reportedly set up by the royals of Mysuru. However, there has been no documentation of wolves in the region for over a decade, according to sources in the state government.

The proposal notes that grey wolves inhabit the dry grassland regions of Deccan Plateau in pockets and prey on blackbucks and other herbivores.

As per the agenda circulated to the members of the Board, a copy of which is available with DH, "a relative ecosystem for the conservation of these endangered species has been found in parts of Koppal district".

The agenda copy observes that besides wolves, "the area can also help in the conservation of striped hyena, golden jackal, Indian fox and other fauna".

According to forest officials, the region around Bankapur, comprising forest patches falling within Bankapur, Sulekal and Mallapur village limits, is interspersed with rocky hillocks and thorny vegetation.

"Recently, a pack of wolves had littered about six pups and nurtured them in the region by occupying a cave underneath a huge boulder. If approved by the Board, this will be Karnataka’s first wildlife sanctuary for wolves,” an official said.

Other proposals

The Board is also likely to take up the creation of sloth bear sanctuaries and a conservation reserve. Efforts are on to create the Arsikere Sloth Bear Sanctuary by including Hirekallu Gudda and adjoining areas of the region.

A similar sanctuary has been mooted at Handigundi in Ramanagara. The areas around Hiresulekere in Koppal district and close to Hampi area are likely to be reserved for the conservation of sloth bears.

A long-pending proposal to declare Hesaraghatta — the last standing grassland eco-system of Bengaluru — as a Conservation Reserve is also likely to come up for discussion during the meeting.