MM Hills safari new addition on Mysuru's wildlife tourism circuit

Come December first week, wildlife enthusiasts and animal lovers will have a new safari zone to go to in Mysuru region - at MM Hills. This will be in addition to those at Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves.  

“Permission was obtained to organise safari on a pilot basis for two months from Lokanahalli under PG Palya range of MM Hills wildlife sanctuary, Chamarajanagar district. To start with, there will be one 10-seater vehicle for safari on weekends. There will be seven vehicles later,” deputy conservator of forests of MM Hills sanctuary G Santhosh Kumar told DH.

“It will be an 18-km route from Lokkanahalli. It includes PG Palya range adjoining Bailur range of Biligiri Ranganatha temple (BRT) tiger reserve. There is an elephant corridor connecting MM Hills and BRT reserve. Also, there is Vadavaradahalla check dam en route. There are 10-12 tigers and 706 elephants in MM Hills. So, there are chances of sighting tigers and elephants apart from spotted deer, sambar deer, Indian bisons or Gaurs and wild dogs. The safari passes through Lokkanahalli anti-poaching camp, where tourists can get to know about anti-poaching operations. Also, there are burial structures from stone age on the route,” he said.

MM Hills was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2013, but no tourism activity was taken up here. Devotees throng Male Mahadeshwara temple atop MM Hills. The tourists also visit nearby Gundal dam and monasteries of Dhondenling Tibetan settlement too. 

A proposal on the safari was sent to the PCCF, so as to tap this tourism potential and he approved it in November, Santhosh Kumar said.