Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary

Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Mangroves in Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, India
Location of Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, India
Location	Andhra Pradesh, India
Nearest city	Machilipatnam
Coordinates	15°46′27″N 80°56′39″E / 15.77417°N 80.94417°E / 15.77417; 80.94417Coordinates: 15°46′27″N 80°56′39″E / 15.77417°N 80.94417°E / 15.77417; 80.94417^[1]
Area	194.81 km² (48,140 acres)
Governing body	Andhra Pradesh Forest Department

Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and estuary located in Andhra Pradesh, India.^[2] It is one of the rarest eco-regions of the world owing to the fact that it harbors vast tracts of pristine mangrove forests. It is believed among conservationists as one of the last remaining tracts of thick primary mangrove forests of South India, which is rapidly disappearing due to absence of protective measures.^[3]

Geography

The sanctuary is a part of the mangrove wetland in Andhra Pradesh and are located in the coastal plain of Krishna delta.

The Krishna mangroves lie between 15° 2' N and 15° 55' N in latitude and 80° 42'- 81° 01' E in longitude spread across Krishna and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh.

It includes Sorlagondi Reserve Forest, Nachugunta Reserve Forest, Yelichetladibba Reserve Forest, Kottapalem Reserve Forest, Molagunta Reserve Forest, Adavuladivi Reserve Forest and Lankivanidibba Reserve Forest. They occupy the islands of the delta and the adjacent mainlands of Krishna and Guntur Districts.

A part of the mangroves is located far from the main mangrove area. This unconnected regions lies near Machilipatnam on its eastern side and Nakshatranagar on its western side.

Flora and fauna

The estuary of Krishna River passes through the sanctuary, and the mangroves line the estuary. It is believed that this region potentially holds one of the most significant populations of fishing cats in the world and yet, no concrete surveys on fishing cats or community-based fishing cat conservation efforts have been carried out here.^[4] The area has the potential to become world's first reserve for a few of the IUCN identified endangered species including the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) or better known locally as bavuru pilli.^[5]

Some of the tree species found in the sanctuary are: Casuarina equisetifolia, Pongamia gladra, Calotropis gigantea, Cassia auriculata, Thespesia populnea, Ipomaea biloba, Spinifex squarrosus, Spinifex littoreus, Pongamia pinnate, Prosopis juliflora, banyan, peepul, margosa, tumma, mango, palmyra.

Sykes's warbler Hippolais rama in Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary, India.

The sanctuary is home for reptiles like garden lizard, wall lizard and tortoise.

Snakes^[6]

Common name	Formal name	Status	Common name	Formal name	Status
Indian python	Python molurus	-	Common cobra	Naja naja	-
Common sand boa	Eryx conicus	-	Russell's viper	Vipera russelli	-
John's sand boa	Eryx johnii	-	Saw-scaled viper	Echis carinatus	-
Common wolf snake	Lycodon aulicus	-	Bamboo pit viper	Trimeresurus gramineus	-
Common kukri snake	Oligodon arnensis	-	Shaw's wolf snake	Lycodon striatus	rare
Striped keelback snake	Amphiesma stolata	-	Twin-spotted wolf snake	Lycodon jara	rare
Chequered keelback snake	Xenochrophis piscator	-	Gunther's racer	Argyrogena gracilis	rare
Common trinket snake	Elaphe helena	-	Smooth snake	Coronella brachyura	rare
Rat snake	Ptyas mucosus	-	Painted bronzeback	Dendrelaphis pictus	rare
Common Indian bronzeback	Dendrelaphis tristis	-	Condanorus sand snake	Psammophis condanarus	rare
Common green whip snake / Asian vine snake	Ahaetulla nasuta	-	Stout sand snake	Psammophis longifrons	rare
Common cat snake	Boiga trigonata	-	King cobra	Ophiophagus hannah	rare
Common krait	Bungarus caeruleus	-

The amphibian fauna present in the sanctuary include the common frog, the otter and the saltwater crocodile.

The herbivorous species present are spotted deer, sambar and black buck.

Other species found in the sanctuary are hyena, jungle cat, fox and bear.

Avifauna include crested serpent eagle, Indian roller, wagtails and pipits.

References

↑ "ATLAS OF MANGROVE WETLANDS OF INDIA" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-07-30.
↑ "APFD Website". Forest.ap.nic.in. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
↑ http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/Wetlands-Shrink-to-17K-Acres-in-Krishna-District/2014/02/24/article2074352.ece
↑
↑ http://www.fishingcat.org/fishing-cat-resources-1.html
↑ Gupta, Harsh K.; Parasher-Sen, Aloka; Balasubramanian, Dorairajan (2000). Deccan Heritage. Hyderabad, India: Universities Press. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-81-7371-285-2.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary.

Eastern Ghats

Rivers	Champavathi River Godavari Gosthani River Gundlakamma River Kaveri Krishna Kundu River Mahanadi Nagavali River Palar Penner River Ponnaiyar Rushikulya Sabari River Sarada River Sileru River Sweata Nadi Vasishta Nadi Vellar Vamsadhara River

Regions	Deccan Plateau Kolar Plateau

Hills	Bilgiri (Biligirirangan) Chitteri Erramala Kalrayan Karanthamalai Kolli Lankamalla Mahendragiri Mettur Nallamalla Pachaimalai Palamalai Palkonda Shevaroy Sirumalai Vada Chennimalai Velikonda

Waterfalls	Agaya Gangai Kiliyur Mayil Uthu Mangalam Periyar Pudur Megan Talakona Falls Ubbalamadugu Falls

States	Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Odisha Tamil Nadu Telangana West Bengal

Parks & Reserves	Badrama Wildlife Sanctuary Chilika Bird Sanctuary Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary Kanger Ghati National Park Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary Lakhari Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Nalbana Bird Sanctuary Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary Simlipal National Park Sri Venkateswara National Park Telineelapuram and Telukunchi Bird Sanctuaries Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Wildlife sanctuaries of Andhra Pradesh

Kolleru Bird Sanctuary Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Rolla Padu Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary

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