Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary

Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary

News – 

• In March 2026, the Karnataka High Court directed the state government to issue a new notification for Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag district. 
• A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha, ruled that reducing the sanctuary’s size to 244.15 sq. km in the 2019 notification was “ex facie arbitrary”.

Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) 

• It is located in the Gadag district of Karnataka. 
• Often referred to as the “Western Ghats of North Karnataka,” 
• Uniqueness – It is unique for being the only sanctuary in the state declared specifically for the conservation of wild flora. 
• Establishment: Originally a reserve forest, it was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in May 2019.
• Geography: Features a dryland ecosystem with scrub jungles, grasslands, and dry deciduous forests.
• Hydrology: It Serves as a major catchment area for the Tungabhadra River.
• Flora: Renowned for its medicinal value, hosting over 400 species of medicinal plants. Dominant vegetation includes Teak, Butea monosperma, and Acacia scrub.
• Fauna: Home to leopards, Indian wolves, striped hyenas, blackbucks, and the rare four-horned antelope (Chousingha).
• Cultural Significance: Contains ancient ruins and temples from the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta dynasties, including the 12th-century Dambala Temple. 

Recent Developments (2025–2026)

• • Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ): In June 2025, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified an ESZ area of approximately 323 sq km around the sanctuary.
  • Boundary Expansion: In March 2026, the Karnataka High Court directed the state government to include an additional 55 sq km of reserve forest that had been arbitrarily omitted from the original 2019 notification, restoring the sanctuary to its intended size of roughly 300 sq km.

• Rare Sightings: The rare White-naped Tit (Parus nuchalis) was recently recorded in the sanctuary’s scrub-thorn habitat. 

Threats and Conservation

• The sanctuary faces pressure from mining interests (gold and iron ore), illegal firewood collection, overgrazing, and habitat fragmentation.