Sanctuary |In the Field
For the large part tribal communities in the northern parts of the Eastern Ghats continue to live in
harmony with the wilderness, as did their ancestors. However, the area faces serious threats from
expanding coastal populations whose lifestyles are not in sync with those of the original inhabitants.In the northern parts of the Eastern Ghats, in areas bordering Odisha and Chhattisgarh, are some of the most
magnifi cent forests in the country.as allies and virtually all the tourism
in the park is managed by locals -
ticketing, nature guides, boat transport
and cleaning up. Here, locals are true
ambassadors with a real sense of
ownership over the park.
In 2018, the Forest Department
hosted the Coringa Bird Festival to
celebrate the arrival of migratory birds
from Siberia and Central Asia. The
festival showcased documentaries on
nature conservation, talks on birds,
conservation through photography, fi lmmaking, puppetry, exhibitions of bird
models and some stunning artworks.
TRAFFIC India organised awareness
workshops on the impact of smuggling
and poaching of wildlife species and
products. Festivals like these undoubtedly
go a long way in mobilising both public
opinion and conservation action.A TREASURE TROVE OF
BIODIVERSITY
In the northern parts of the Eastern
Ghats, in areas bordering Odisha andChhattisgarh, are some of the most
magnifi cent forests in the country. Part
of the Dandakaranya region, the larger
landscape comprises contiguous forest
patches in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha,
Chhattisgarh and Telangana. A jewel in
the crown is the Papikonda National Park,
which supports dry deciduous, moist
deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, in
addition to shola grasslands that harbour
truly rich faunal diversity.
Magnifi cent Pterocarpus sp., rose
wood Dalbergia sissoo, Terminalia sp.,
teak Tectona grandis, and Adina sp.
trees dot the landscape. The lower
stratum consists of several species
of wild ferns, shrubs and herbs. Bio-
structures in the form of termite mounds
are frequently seen, indicating high
moisture in the area. The Eastern Ghats
belt is just as fascinating, if not more,
than its western counterpart.
This area is also home to the mouse
deer, leopard cat, honey badger, Indian
pangolin, Indian grey wolf, wild dog,
leopard, sloth bear, gaur, four-horned
antelope, sambar and barking deer. Also
seen here are a rich diversity of reptiles,
amphibians and Lepidoptera. At a
butterfl y meet conducted in 2018, new
species of butterfl ies and moths were
recorded for the fi rst time in Andhra
Pradesh. The streams that originate
in these hills teem with endemic fi sh,
including the Deccan mahseer.
Interestingly, tribal communities
including the Konda Reddys, Koyadoras,
Valmikis, Guthikoyas, and Konda
kammaras continue to live in harmony
with this biodiversity, as did their
ancestors. Yet, the area faces serious
threats from expanding coastal
populations whose lifestyles are not
in sync with those of the original
inhabitants. Ports, oil rigs, dredging,
industrialisation, aquaculture ponds, and
salt pans are expanding each day.
If visionary leaders emerge, it is
conceivable that social and environmental
groups could set a national example
by working together to counter this
existential threat. It would be very
welcome news indeed, in an ocean of
distressing reports that each of us must
contend with every day. c