Sahyadari hills | Image Resource : wikipedia.org
There is no doubt in the fact that the Radhanagari and Dajipur wildlife sanctuary Kolhapur is one of the best attractions of the city. It was established in the year 1958 and since then lots of tourists have been reported to visit the place ever year. The sanctuary is situated on the southern side of the Sahyadari hills of the Western Ghats. Locally, it is popular as the Bison sanctuary. The place is completely under the Maharashtra forest department and covers a total area of 351.16 square kilometres. The destination is around 46 kilometres from the city and is on the north eastern sides of the city. The name of the sanctuary has religious connections and was derived from the Shiva temple which has been a famous pilgrimage for several centuries. There is a large temple inside the sanctuary along with 51 small temples. Those temples were constructed from the Satavahana dynasty.
Monsoon in Western Ghats Radhanagari | Image Resource : travelsunravels.wordpress.com
The sanctuary is geographically placed along the tributaries of river Krishna, which include Bhogavati River, Dudhganga River, and Dirba River. The state highway 116 passes through the sanctuary. If you are visit Kolhapur, then I suggest you to visit this place without any kind of doubt. For me, you should keep a complete day for this place so that you can enjoy the amazing scenery of the sanctuary. I was stunned to see the various kinds of plants on offer in the surrounding areas. Apart from that, the sanctuary has nearly 47 species of mammals, 59 types of reptiles, and 264 species of different birds. The butterflies were just so lovely to see and the place had enchanted me completely.
Some of the most commonly visible animals in this sanctuary were Indian bison, Indian leopard, wild boar, deer, sambar, wild dogs, tigers, beer, giant squirrel, along with various other birds. I was able to see a few birds, which included eagles, vultures, owl, woodpeckers, hornbills, kingfishers, sunbirds, and many more. The Radhanagari and Dajipur wildlife sanctuary Kolhapur has been designated as a well protected area for birds by the Bird Life International Organisation. A few species of birds are unique and are found in this place. Some of the species are threatened as well and they include Malabar pit viper, Bombay bush frog and Humayun’s wrinkled frog. I was completely satisfied after experiencing some of the best elements in the world and thus, decided to end my trip here. Overall, it was an enthralling experience and I hope my posts are going to guide you to this beautifully gifted place in Maharashtra.
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