Yadahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary

Yadahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary in Bagalkot district covers about 96 sq km and was notified in 2016 as the first sanctuary in Karnataka set up mainly for the chinkara, or Indian gazelle. The species had declined across much of its old range, and surveys found no chinkara left below the Pennar River in Andhra Pradesh, which made protecting the remaining herds a priority.

The Krishna River runs along the north of the sanctuary and the Ghataprabha along the south. In between are rocky slopes, grassland, scrub and dry deciduous forest with neem, siris, axlewood, amla, jujube, kokum and catechu trees. Chinkara, which can go long without drinking by getting moisture from plants and dew, are easiest to see grazing in the early morning and late afternoon; both sexes carry horns, shorter in females. Foxes, wild boar, sloth bears, spotted and barking deer, langurs, bonnet macaques and peafowl also live here, and nature walks, birding and safaris are offered.