Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR)

Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Latest News

The forest department is preparing to launch the next round of tiger census in the Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve (NSTR).

About Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve

• It is located in the Nallamala hill ranges (an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats) of Andhra Pradesh.
• It is one of the largest tiger reserves in India, spreading over an area of 3,728 sq km.
• It hosts the largest tiger population in the Eastern Ghat landscape.
• It is named after two major dams in the area, Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Srisailam Dam.
• Two wildlife sanctuaries, namely Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary (GBM), constitute the NSTR.
• The river Krishna traverses through this reserve for a linear distance of around 270 kilometers.
• The reserve holds significant importance with ancient temples like the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple at Srisailam and several archaeological sites, including Buddhist relics from the Nagarjuna Konda area.
• Topography: It consists of plateaus, ridges, gorges, and deep valleys.
• Vegetation: Tropical dry deciduous forests having an undergrowth of bamboo and grass.
• Flora: The habitat has several endemics like Andrographis nallamalayana, Eriolaena lushingtonii, Crotalaria madurensis Var, Dicliptera beddomei, and Premna hamiltonii.
• Fauna:
  • Top faunal species include Tiger, Leopard, Wolf, Wild Dog and Jackal.
  • The prey species are represented by Sambar, Chital, Chowsingha, Chinkara, Mouse Deer, Wild boar, and Porcupine.
  • The river Krishna has Muggers, Otters and Turtles.

Source: TOI

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