Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR)

About Sahyadri Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in the Sahyadri Ranges of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.
• It is the northernmost tiger habitat in western ghats, with an area of almost 741.22 sq. km.
• The reserve spreads over Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, forming the northern portion, and Chandoli National Park, forming the southern part of the reserve. STR was created by merging the areas of these two forests in 2007.
• The central portion of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve is occupied by the “Shivsagar” reservoir of the Koyana River and the “Vasant Sagar” reservoir of the Warana River.
• History:
  • The history of the area dates back to the Maratha Empire, and many forts built or captured by the first Maratha Emperor Shivaji Bhonsle can be found here.
  • The legendary temple from which Shivaji received the Bhavani Sword from divine providence is also said to be among the many ruins in this region.
• Habitat:
  • The total area of STR is undulating, with steep escarpments along the western boundary.
  • The most distinct feature is the presence of numerous barren rocky and lateritic plateaus, locally called “Sadas”, with less perennial vegetation and overhanging cliffs on the edges, along with numerous fallen boulders with dense thorny bushes.
  • STR is the only place where climax and near-climax vegetation are plentiful and prospects of adverse anthropogenic influence in the future are minimal.
• Flora:
  • The forest cover here is that of moist evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist, and dry deciduous vegetation.
  • There are many medicinal and fruit-bearing trees along with the commercial hard wood trees in the reserve.
  • The most common floral species found here are Anjani (Memecylon umbellatum), Jambhul (Syzygium cumini), and Pisa (Actinodaphaone Angustifolia). 
• Fauna:
  • The main carnivores are the tiger, leopard, and some lesser cats along with the wolf, jackal, and wild dog.
  • The large herbivores are several deer species like Barking Deer, Sambar, and other large and small animals like Indian Bison, Sloth Bear, Mouse Deer, Giant Indian Squirrel, and Macaque.

Q1: What is a Cliff?

A cliff is a mass of rock that rises very high and is almost vertical, or straight up-and-down. Cliffs are very common landscape features. They can form near the ocean (sea cliffs), high in mountains, or as the walls of canyons and valleys.

News: Good News! New Male Tiger Spotted in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve