Tiger Reserves in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Tiger Reserves UPSC

Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the only tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh.

Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve

1. The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve is spread over multiple districts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The tiger reserve covers parts of the following districts:
1. Kurnool district (Andhra Pradesh)
2. Prakasam district (Andhra Pradesh)
3. Guntur district (Andhra Pradesh)
4. Nalgonda district (Telangana)
5. Mahbubnagar district (Telangana)
2. The reserve is named after the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, which is situated on the Krishna River, and the Srisailam Dam, which is located on the Krishna River as well.
3. In 1978, Nagarjunasagar Srisailam was notified as a wildlife sanctuary.
4. In 1983, it was declared a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger program.
5. In 1992, the reserve was renamed as the Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary.
6. Area: It overs an area of about 5,937 square kilometers and the largest tiger reserves in India.
1. Core/ Critical Tiger Habitat : 3721 Sq. Km.
2. Buffer / Peripheral area : 2216 Sq. Km.
3. Total : 5937 Sq. km.
7. Hills: The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve is situated in hill ranges of Nallamalais, which are an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats mountain range.
8. River: The Krishna River passes through the tiger reserve.
9. Lake: The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve includes two significant reservoirs:
1. Srisailam Reservoir
2. Nagarjunasagar Reservoir
10. Waterfalls: Some of the prominent waterfalls within the reserve include:
1. Ethipothala Falls
2. Pedda Dukudu
3. Gundam
4. Chaleswaram
11. Tribe: One of the prominent tribes in the tiger reserve is the Chenchu tribe.
12. Flora: Southern Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest (teak, anogeissus, Terminalia, Pterocarpus, and Albizia), Deccan Thorn Scrub Forest (Acacia, Ziziphus, Prosopis), Riparian Forests (Terminalia, Syzygium, Ficus, and bamboo species), Grasslands etc.
13. Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Wolf, Wild Dog, Sambar, Chital, Chinkara, Porcupine, Indian Pitta, Pied Kingfisher, Indian Rock Python, Monitor Lizard, Mugger Crocodile, Indian Star Tortoise etc.