https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

All About Cauvery South, the 17th Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Government has declared the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary as the 17th Wildlife Sanctuary of the state It covers reserve forest areas in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts which are home to 35 species of mammals and 238 species of birds and others The state government has sanctioned Rs. 5 crores for improving the areas of the sanctuary
Indian Masterminds Stories

The Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary has become the 17th Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu, after the state government notfied it. The sanctuary covers reserve forest areas in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts, and is home to 35 species of mammals, 238 species of birds, Leith’s soft-shelled turtles, smooth coated otters, marsh crocodile and four horned antelopes.

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, IFS officer Karthikeyani, DFO, Hosur Division, shared why the Cauvery South sanctuary is a paradise for wildlife.

CAUVERY SOUTH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The sanctuary comprises of the 15 Reserve Forest areas in Anchetty, Urigam and Jawalagiri Ranges in Anchetty Taluk of Krishnagiri District and 5 Reserve Forest areas in Pennagaram and Palacode Ranges in Pennagaram and Palacode Taluks of Dharmapuri District, to an area of 686.406 sq.km.

“It is located between the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in the State of Karnataka. The area has adequate ecological, faunal, and floral significance and needs management as wildlife sanctuary for protecting and conserving wildlife, habitat, and to mitigate human-elephant conflict,” Ms. Karthikeyani said.

She further informed Indian Masterminds that the sanctuary area is a large, contiguous network of protected areas, enabling uniform legal status and protection along both the banks of the river Cauvery for a stretch of over 50 km. This landscape maintains further continuity to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve through Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, Billigiri Rangaswamy Forest Division of Tamil Nadu.

ELEPHANT HABITAT

“The sanctuary is an important elephant habitat in Southern India and is critical for a large number of riverine species dependent on river Cauvery. This area forms a unique ecosystem of the Cauvery basin and constitutes the last forested low-lying stretches of the Cauvery River before it enters the Stanley Reservoir,” Ms. Karthikeyani informed.

The area is large and has two important elephant corridors, namely, the Nandimangalam-Ulibanda Corridor and the Kovaipallam–Anebiddahalla Corridor.

RICH IN BIODIVERSITY

It is also rich in biodiversity, with at least 35 species of mammals and 238 species of birds. Some of the animals such as Leith’s Soft-shelled turtles, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Smooth-coated Otter, Marsh Crocodile, Four-horned Antelope, Lesser Fish Eagle etc., are almost exclusively dependent on the Cauvery River and its riverine forest ecosystem. They are also red-listed and are in urgent need of focused conservation efforts and protection of their habitat.

“The sanctuary is also a successful tiger conservation progect, as the adjacent contiguous areas such as Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and Banerghatta National Park in Karnataka have created a spill over effect and tigers have now begun to occupy these traditional ranges where they had been locally extinct for a few decades,” Ms. Karthikeyani said.

The forest areas of this sanctuary are part of the same landscape, and enhanced protection and habitat improvement have led to recovery of prey base and the area can now support tigers once again, as it had in the past. It also supports the conservation of leopard and other red-listed large carnivores.

GOVERNMENT SANCTION

Further, for the preparation of the detailed project proposal for improving the sanctuary, the Government of Tamil Nadu has sanctioned Rs. 5 crores.

“The creation of the sanctuary will make available grants from the state and centrally sponsored schemes for all kinds of recurring and non-recurring expenses, including creation of waterholes for providing water facilities to wild animals, establishment of anti-poaching camps, capacity building, arms and ammunitions, creation of barriers and maintenance in the sanctuary area. All this can be used to protect the forests and wildlife for a better and long-term conservation process,” Ms. Karthikeyani said.

She further shared that although people have an apprehension that because of the sanctuary notification, they will now get evicted outside, this is a miscommunication and a fake apprehension.

“The sanctuary has been notified only for enhancing the protection of the wildlife inside the forest and to increase the fund flow of habitat management. It will help the people in the end,” Ms. Karthikeyani concluded.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
Rajasthan Govt Seeks Recall of IAS Officers Rohit Kumar and Siddharth Mahajan from Central Deputation
Western Railway's Female Mechanics Drive Critical EMU Maintenance
Vijayadashami Boosts Women's Empowerment: Western Railway's Female Mechanics Drive Critical EMU Maintenance
IDES Officer Shobha Gupta
IDES Officer Shobha Gupta Appointed Director General of Defence Estates; Will Oversee 18 Lakh Acres of Defence Land
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
Controversies Lead to Transfer of 8 Out of 24 IAS Officers in Madhya Pradesh; Key Collectors Removed Following Disputes with Legislators
ACC_Appointments Committee of Cabinet
Senior Bureaucratic Movements Cleared by ACC: Repatriations, Curtailments, and Extensions Notified
shastri-bhawan
CSS Forum Backs Officer Deepak Khoda After Suicide Attempt Over Alleged Workplace Harassment by IAS; Demands High-Level Probe in Letter to Minister
Gandhinagar: Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R
14 Million Seedlings and Counting: Gujarat’s Centres of Excellence Drive Horticulture Innovation with Global Backing
Siyan Gudis old age homes Chhattisgarh
CM Sai Announces 'Siyan Gudis' for Elderly in 4 Chhattisgarh Cities, Launches Welfare Measures on International Day of Older Persons
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
Rajasthan Govt Seeks Recall of IAS Officers Rohit Kumar and Siddharth Mahajan from Central Deputation
Western Railway's Female Mechanics Drive Critical EMU Maintenance
Vijayadashami Boosts Women's Empowerment: Western Railway's Female Mechanics Drive Critical EMU Maintenance
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT