Context:
According to the recently released ‘EnviStats India-2024’ report, the Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) has been ranked first among India’s 55 tiger reserves for its leopard population, with an estimated 360 leopards.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Dimensions of the Article:
- Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
Location:
- It lies within the Nallamala Hills of the Eastern Ghats.
- It includes five districts of Andhra Pradesh, namely Prakasam, Kurnool, Guntur, and Mahbubnagar.
- It spreads over an approximate area of about 3,568 square kilometers.
Geographical Features:
- Varied land; rugged hills, deep valleys, and dense forests.
- It is a part of the Srisailam-Nagarjunasagar-Kurnool forest belt.
- The Krishna River passes through the reserve, and, therefore it will involve all kinds of its own unique ecosystem.
Flora
- Tropical and dry deciduous forests.
- Dominated by teak, terminalia, bamboo, and other native species.
- Rich in medicinal plants and herbs.
Fauna:
Has a large population of Bengal tigers.
Other mammals:
- Indian leopard
- Sloth bear
- Dhole (Indian wild dog)
- Indian pangolin
- Chital (spotted deer)
- Sambar deer
- Nilgai (blue bull)
- Four-horned antelope
- Indian giant squirrel
Birds:
- More than 350 species have been recorded.
- It comprises the grey junglefowl, painted spurfowl and even the critically endangered white-rumped vulture.
- Reptiles: Indian python, Mugger crocodile, Bengal monitor and Star tortoise
Conservation
- It has been declared a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger way back in 1983. It is also declared a part of the Srisailam-Nagarjunasagar-Kurnool Biosphere Reserve. Conserving efforts are going on continuously in the wild to preserve the Bengal tiger along with its habitats.
-Source: The Hindu
