Koundinya sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh awaits ‘Jumbo romance‘ as an all-female herd from T.N. enters Chittoor

Source: The post is based on the article “Koundinya sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh awaits ‘Jumbo romance‘ as an all-female herd from T.N. enters Chittoor” published in The Hindu on 8th December 2022

What is the News?

An 18-member herd of all female elephants from the forests of Gudiyattam and Pernambattu of Tamil Nadu are currently on the prowl in the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary zone in Andhra Pradesh apparently “in search of mates”.

What is Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary?

Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and an elephant reserve situated in Andhra Pradesh. 

It is the only sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh with a population of Asian elephants which migrated after 200 years from neighbouring regions.

Habitat: The Kaundinya sanctuary has dry deciduous forests with thorny scrubs interspersed with trees. 

– The sanctuary is situated in the region where the Kolar Plateau ends and slopes down into the plains of Tamil Nadu creating many valleys and ghats.

Flora: The sanctuary is covered by southern tropical dry deciduous and thorn forests. Some of the important flora consist of Albizia amara, Acacia, Lagerstroemia, Ficus, bamboo, and a species which is a regeneration of Santalum album.

Fauna: The sanctuary is primarily an elephant reserve and is home to about 78 Indian elephants. The vulnerable yellow-throated bulbul is present in the sanctuary.