News: The arrest and subsequent bail of farmers accused of entering the Sharavati Lion-Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary in Sagar taluk with country-made weapons has triggered widespread unrest.
About Sharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary
- Location: It is located in the Sharavathi River Valley in Sagar Taluk of Shivamogga District, Karnataka.
- It was established by merging the previously existing Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Aghanashini Lion-Tailed Macaque Conservation Reserve, and the adjoining reserve forest blocks.
- It shares its southwestern boundary with the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It lies within the Western Ghats, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The total area of the sanctuary is approximately 431.23 square kilometers, which includes the Linganamakki Reservoir covering about 124 square kilometers.
- Vegetation: The sanctuary is predominantly covered with tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, especially in the valleys.
- It also features moist deciduous forests along with patches of grasslands and savanna vegetation.
- Flora: The sanctuary is immensely rich in plant diversity, hosting species such as Dhoopa (Vateria indica), Gulmavu (Mangifera indica), Surahonne, Mavu, and Nandi.
- Fauna: It is considered a key habitat for the endangered Lion-Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus), which is endemic to the Western Ghats.
- Other prominent mammals found in the sanctuary include tigers, leopards, wild dogs (dholes), jackals, sloth bears, wild pigs, sambar deer, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, bonnet macaques, common langurs, and the Malabar giant squirrel.
- Notable bird species such as minivets, herons, woodpeckers, and hornbills are found here.
- A wide range of reptiles inhabit the sanctuary, including the king cobra, Indian python, rat snake, monitor lizard, and crocodiles.
- Some of the major attractions located within the sanctuary include Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India; Linganamakki Reservoir, a scenic and vital water body; Honnemaradu Backwaters, popular for eco-tourism and water sports; and Sigandur Backwaters along with the Chowdeshwari Temple, which holds cultural and religious significance.
