Conservation of Biodiversity

This kind of biological diversity has prompted the state to take steps for its conservation. One of the major steps has been to notify 20 sanctuaries and four National Parks under Wildlife protection Act which cover 11,982 Square km i.e., 18% of the total area under forests in the State. This includes the Largest Tiger Reserve in the World viz. Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Sanctuary covering 3568 square km and Kolleru Sanctuary, which is the largest wetland of its kind our state.

 

Name & location. Particulars Area (sq.km) Forest type Characteristic biological wealth
Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Adilabad district 893 Dry deciduous Bamboo, Terminalia, Pterocarpus etc., &Tiger, Panther, Gaur, Cheetal,Sambar, Nilgai, Barking deer,Mouse deer, Sloth bear and a variety of birds.
Pranahita Sanctuary,Adilabad district (along tributary of river Godavari) 136 Dry deciduous Tiger, Panther, Sloth bear,Cheetal, Black buck, Nilgai and a variety of birds such as ducks, Teals, Storks and Herons
Sivaram Sanctuary,Adilabad &Karimnagar districts 37 Riverine forest Terminalia dominant & Spotted deer, Sambar, Nilgai, Monkeys, Langurs, Jackals, Wild of birds such as ducks, Teals, boars, Python, Sloth bear, Panther, Tiger, Marsh crocodile
Eturnagaram Sanctuary,Warangal district 806 Dry deciduous teak forest Bamboo, Bauhinia, Pterocarpus, Anogeissus, etc., & Tiger, Panther, Gaur, Sambar, Cheetal, Nilgai,Black buck, Barking deer, Wild boar, Wolf, Jackal and a variety of birds
Pakhal Sanctuary,Warangal district 879 Deciduous Marsh crocodiles, spotted deer, Sambar, Nilgai, Wild boar, Gaur, Python, Wild dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Hyena, Sloth bear, Panther, Tiger, ducks, Teals, Spoon bills, Storks etc.
Kinerasani Sanctuary,Khammam district [Kinnerasani lake har bours aquatic life] 656 Dry deciduous teak forest Terminalia, Anogeissus etc., & Tiger, Panther, Gaur, Cheetal,Chowsingha, Sambar, Black buck, Chinkara, Sloth bear, Wild dogs,Hyena, Wild boar, Jackal, Marsh crocodile and aquatic birds.
Papikonda Sanctuary,East & West Godavari district 591 Dry deciduous teak forest Tiger, Panther, Gaur, Cheetal,Chowsingha, Sambar, Black buck,districts Mouse deer, Barking deer, Sloth bear, Wild dogs, Hyena, Wild boar, Jackal, Marsh crocodile and a variety of resident and migratory birds.
Coringa Sanctuary,East Godavari district 236 Mangrove Rhizophora, Avicennia, Sonneratia Aegiceros etc., & Fishing cat, Otters, Jackal, Sea turtle, estuarine Crocodile, Gulls,Storks, Herons and Flamingos
Kolleru Sanctuary,West Godavari district 673 Marsh Large variety of water birds such as Garganys, Teals, Pochards, Ducks, Storks, Herons and occasionally Flamingos and Grey pelicans
Krishna Sanctuary,Krishna & Guntur districts 195 Mangrove Fishing cat, Otters, Jackal, Sea turtle, estuarine Crocodile and a variety of seasonal birds
Pocharam Sanctuary,Medak & Nizamabad districts 130 Mixed dry deciduous,patches of scrub and grassy lands Panther, Sloth bear, Wild boar, Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Hyena, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Jackal,Python, Teals, Storks, Duck, Patridges and Quails
Manjira Sanctuary,Medak district 20 Riverine forest Marsh crocodiles and a variety of water birds
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Sanctuary,Guntur, Prakasam,Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar and Nalgonda (along river Krishna cutting through Nallamalai hills) 3568 Dry deciduous mixed forest Tiger, Panther, Cheetal,Chowsingha, Sambar, Sloth bear, Wild dogs, Hyena, Wild boar,Jackal, Wolf, Fox, Ratel, Indian giant squirrel, Tree shrew, Mousedeer, Black buck, Marsh crocodile, Sambar, Nilgai etc.
Rollapadu Sanctuary,Kurnool & Prakasam districts 6.14 Open grasslands with thorny bushes Is home for the endangered Great Indian Bustard. Other animals are Black buck, Monkeys, Wolf, Jackal,Russels viper and Cobra
Gundla Brahmeshwaram Sanctuary,Kurnool & Prakasam districts 1194 Mixed deciduous Teak, Pterocarpus, Terminalia,Albizzia, Anogeissus, Dalbergia, Boswellia etc. & Tiger, Panther,Cheetal, Chowsingha, Sambar, Sloth bear, Wild dog, Hyena, Jungle cat, Monkeys, Langurs, Mouse deer, Black buck, Sambar, Nilgai,Pangolin, Chikara, Monitor Lizard, Marsh crocodile and Python
Srilanka Malleswaram Sanctuary,Cuddapah district 464 Dry deciduous,mixed thorn forests Red sanders endemic to the region.Panther, Sloth bear, Cheetal, Sambar, Chowsingha, Nilgai, Chinkara, Wild boar, Fox etc. Endangered bird - Double banded (or) Jerdon's Courser found here
Nelapattu Sanctuary,Nellore district 4.4 Fresh water irrigation tank Nesting ground for Grey pelicans,Open bill stork, White ibis, Night heron, Cormorant, Teals, Ducks etc.
Pulicat Sanctuary,Nellore district 500 Brackish water lake along Bay of Bengal Greater and Lesser Flamingos,Grey pelican, Painted stork, Grey heron, Ducks, Teals, Herons, Gulls and number of waders
Kaundinya Sanctuary,Chittoor district 358 Southern thorn forest Albizzia & Ficus sps., & Indian elephant, Sloth bear, Panther, Cheetal, Chowsingha, Sambar, Porcupine, Wild boar, Jungle cat, Jackal, Jungle fowl & Slender loris
Sri Venkateswara Sanctuary & National Park,Chittoor and Cuddapah districts 506 Dry deciduous with patches of moist deciduous Endemic species like Red Sanders,Shorea talura, S.tumbaggaia, Terminalia pallida Cycas beddomei,Syzygium alternifolium Psilotum nudum, etc.Animals found are Panther, Sloth bear, Sambar, Cheetal, Mouse deer,Barking deer, Chowsingha, Wild boar, Hyena, Jackal, Fox, Civet cat,Jungle cat.Rare and Endangered species like Golden gecko, Slender loris, Indian giant squirrel, Tree shrew and flying lizard.
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park, Hyderabad 1.45 Southern Tropical dry deciduous (last representative of endemic flora of Hyderabad) Cheetals, Jackals, Mongooses, Wild boars. Over 100 bird species 20 reptiles &15 butterfly species
Mrughavany National Park,Hyderabad city 3.60 Southern tropical deciduous (degraded) Has few endemic plant species. Mammals like Wild boar, Jungle cat, Civet cat, Mongoose, Monitor lizard, Pyhton, Russel's viper, Cobra, Grey pelican, Grey Patridges, Quail, Cheetal, Sambar and Butterflies
Mahavir Harin, Vanasthali National Park, Hyderabad City 14.56 Dry scrub jungle with grasslands Black buck, Cheetal, Wild boar and small mammals, reptiles and over 100 bird species

In the Protected Areas (PA) of the State, emphasis is laid on the habitat improvement. This can not be done effectively in the absence of co-operation from the local people residing in and around the Sanctuaries and National Parks. In order to reduce the destructive dependency of the villagers on the protected areas, it is essential to provide them with alternative sources of employment to sustain them.

Eco-development is a multi-pronged strategy that addresses these issues effectively. It aims at ecologically sustainable economic revival of the rural ecosystem. Akin to the Vana Samrakshana Samathi (VSS) formation in non-PA forest areas, village level committees called Eco Development Committees are constituted in the protected areas. With the objective of bio-diversity conservation, measures have been initiated to improve demarcation and strengthening of boundaries of the protected areas, habitat improvement, water resource development and soil and moisture conservation.

Since human and livestock pressures are a major problem for protected areas management, attempt has been made to link eco-development activities with protected areas management through the coordinated efforts of local communities, forest department and non government organisations.

In our state, 223 Eco-Development Committees have been formed so far. The investments on both village development and habitat improvement works are governed by a microplan prepared in consultation with the villagers and the funds are transferred through joint account system. In the coming couple of years, better results are expected in bio-diversity conservation through people's participation.

Back
Close window