Nagarhole National Park
🇮🇳 India
🐘 Elephants Gather at Kabini BackwatersNagarhole National Park is a protected tropical rainforest reserve situated in southern India. Dense stands of teak and rosewood, winding jungle streams, and emerald valleys define this lush habitat, setting it apart from the drier thorn forests found elsewhere on the subcontinent.
12.010° N 76.144° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Axis Deer
Axis axis
Pearl-necked Dove
Spilopelia chinensis
Gayal
Bos frontalis
Bonnet Macaque
Macaca radiata
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Pycnonotus jocosus
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
White-cheeked Barbet
Psilopogon viridis
Indian Giant Squirrel
Ratufa indica
Sambar
Rusa unicolor
Plum-headed Parakeet
Psittacula cyanocephala
Southern Plains Gray Langur
Semnopithecus hypoleucos
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus paradiseus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Axis Deer
Axis axis
Gayal
Bos frontalis
Bonnet Macaque
Macaca radiata
Indian Giant Squirrel
Ratufa indica
Sambar
Rusa unicolor
Southern Plains Gray Langur
Semnopithecus hypoleucos
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
Stripe-necked Mongoose
Herpestes vitticollis
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Indian Muntjac
Muntiacus muntjak
Smooth Coated Otter
Lutrogale perspicillata
Ruddy Mongoose
Herpestes smithii
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Pearl-necked Dove
Spilopelia chinensis
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Pycnonotus jocosus
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
White-cheeked Barbet
Psilopogon viridis
Plum-headed Parakeet
Psittacula cyanocephala
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus paradiseus
Jungle Myna
Acridotheres fuscus
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Copsychus saularis
Grey Junglefowl
Gallus sonneratii
Red-wattled Lapwing
Vanellus indicus
Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela
Large-billed Crow
Corvus macrorhynchos
📊 Most Spotted
Indian Black Turtle
Melanochelys trijuga
Oriental Garden Lizard
Calotes versicolor
Bengal Monitor
Varanus bengalensis
Keeled Indian Mabuya
Eutropis carinata
Forest Blood Sucker
Monilesaurus rouxii
Mugger Crocodile
Crocodylus palustris
Western Ghats Flying Lizard
Draco dussumieri
Travancore Wolf Snake
Lycodon travancoricus
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
Buff Striped Keelback
Amphiesma stolatum
Nilgiri Forest Lizard
Calotes nemoricola
Spotted House Gecko
Hemidactylus parvimaculatus
📊 Most Spotted
Bicolored Frog
Clinotarsus curtipes
Common Indian Toad
Duttaphrynus melanostictus
Malabar Gliding Frog
Rhacophorus malabaricus
Indus Valley Bullfrog
Hoplobatrachus tigerinus
winged gliding frog
Rhacophorus lateralis
Malabar Dot Frog
Uperodon triangularis
Western Tree Frog
Polypedates occidentalis
Waynad bush frog
Pseudophilautus wynaadensis
Sri Lankan Bullfrog
Uperodon taprobanicus
Chunam Tree Frog
Polypedates maculatus
Variable Bush Frog
Raorchestes akroparallagi
Indian Five-Fingered Frog
Euphlyctis hexadactylus
Recent sightings in Nagarhole National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Tiger Sightings Peak
Highest probability of tiger sightings during dry months when prey congregates near water sources.
2Elephant Herd Gatherings
Elephant herds congregate near waterholes and salt licks, offering exceptional viewing opportunities.
3Monsoon Avian Spectacle
Lush forests and breeding season bring migratory and resident birds to prominence, including vibrant amphibians.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Tiger Sightings Peak
- 2Elephant Herd Gatherings
- 3Monsoon Avian Spectacle
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
We also saw leopards and a pack of wild dogs preying on a deer.
Herons and egrets and the occasional waterhen (more heard than seen, squawking loudly in a bamboo thicket) but also others: brahminy kites, paddy field pipits, and once—a first-ever sighting for us—a blue-faced malkoha.
We saw plenty of birds, a couple of crocodiles resting on the banks, again the peaceful scenes of monkeys playing and deer grazing.
We saw elephants, monkeys, squirrels, mongoose, deer, a variety of interesting birds, and a fearsome crocodile or two, but all we saw of tigers was a paw print in the dust.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Nagarhole National Park?
The most likely sightings are Asian Elephant (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Axis Deer (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Pearl-necked Dove (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Gayal (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Bonnet Macaque (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers) — among 856 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Nagarhole National Park for wildlife?
April has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Tiger in Nagarhole National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Tiger sighting in Nagarhole National Park, based on 75 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Asian Elephant in Nagarhole National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Asian Elephant sighting in Nagarhole National Park, based on 153 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Common Peafowl in Nagarhole National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Common Peafowl sighting in Nagarhole National Park, based on 1,599 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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