3. NATURAL VEGETATION
◦The total forest cover of Andhra Pradesh is
22,862 km2. The Eastern Ghats region is home
to dense tropical forests, while the vegetation
becomes sparse as the Ghats give way to
the Deccan Plateau, where shrub vegetation is
more common.
4. FAUNA
◦The varied diversity of fauna includes Bengal
tiger, Indian leopard, hyenas, blackbucks,
cheetahs, sambars, and sea turtles. The dense
forests in mountains offer habitat to the wildlife.
The state government declared certain areas
as wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.
5. National parks and zoo parks
◦ Indira Gandhi Zoological Park is located in Visakhapatnam. It is one of the largest zoos of India,
spread over an area of 625 acres (253 ha). It was named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime
Minister of India and was opened in 1977. There are eighty species with 800 animals.
Hippopotamus and crocodiles are the special animals conserved.
6. Wildlife sanctuaries
◦ Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on NH 5, surrounded by the Eastern Ghats on three sides and the Bay of Bengal on the fourth. It
houses Indira Gandhi Zoological Park. The park has almost eighty species with primates, carnivores, mammals, ungulates, reptiles and birds.
These include rhesus monkeys, baboons, panthers, tigers, wolves, hyenas, pythons, tortoises, monitor lizards, elephant, bison, sambar
deer, peacocks, ducks and macaws.[2]
◦ Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in East Godavari, West Godavari in an area of 591 km2 (228 sq mi). Fauna found in this sanctuary are
tigers, panthers, gaur, cheetal, chowsingha, sambar, blackbuck, mouse deer, barking deer, sloth bears, wild ogs, hyenas, jackals, wild boar,
marsh crocodiles and a variety of birds.[3]
◦ Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary is located in East Godavari district in an area of 235.70 km2 (91.00 sq mi). It has the rare, endangered smooth Indian
otter, fishing cat and estuarine crocodile. Other fauna are jackals, marine turtles, seagulls, storks, ducks and flamingos.[4]
◦ Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and estuary located in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. The sanctuary is home for reptiles
like the garden lizard, the wall lizard, tortoises and snakes.[5]
◦ Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary located in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in an area 6.14 km2 (2.37 sq mi). It is the only
habitat in the state for the rare and highly endangered great Indian bustard. The blackbuck, wolf, jackal, bonnet macaque, Russell's
viper and cobra are also found.[6]
◦ Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. It covers an area of 1030.85 km2 is managed by
the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department[7]
◦ Gundla Brahmeswara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kurnool and Prakasam Districts of Andhra Pradesh. It covers an area of 1194 km2 is
managed by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department.[8] The last surviving pristine forests of Nallamalai tract, it is rich in plants of ethnobotanical
value.
◦ Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh. It covers an area of 464.42 km2 is managed by
the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department[9]
◦ Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. It is only one Asian elephant reserve in Andhra Pradesh. The
sanctuary is bordered by the state of Tamil Nadu.
7.
8. Bird sanctuaries
◦ Atapaka Bird Sanctuary, also known as Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary (see also Kolleru
Bird Sanctuary), is a largest freshwater lake located in West Godavari district of
Andhra Pradesh. The sanctuary falls under Kaikalur Forest Range. It is one of the
Ramsar convention wetland sites, spread over an area of
308.55 km2 (119.13 sq mi).[10][11][12]
◦ Telineelapuram and Telukunchi Bird Sanctuaries are located in Srikakulam district of
Andhra Pradesh. Every year, over 3,000 pelicans and painted storks visit
from Siberia to these villages during September and stay until March.[13][14]
◦ Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is a famous 481 km2 Protected area in Nellore District of
Andhra Pradesh state. Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish-water ecosystem in
India. Central location is: 13°34′N 80°12′E. 327.33 km2 is managed by the Andhra
Pradesh Forest Department[15] and 153.67 km2 is managed by the Tamil Nadu Forest
Department. 108 km2 is national park area. Rainfall ranges from 800 to 2000 mm.
Temperature varies from 14 °C to 33 °C. Altitude ranges from 100’ MSL to 1200’ MSL.
9.
10. STEPS TAKEN BY ANDHRA PRADESH
GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE PUBLIC
AWARENESS ABOUT NATURE AND WILDLIFE
• The Board has established Environment Education Wing for under taking the following activitiesConducting
environmental awareness programmes, publicity campaigns and conducting major World Environmental events.
• Conducting media conferences periodically for dissemination of information on Board’s activities and for creation of
environmental awareness among public.
• Release of Board’s advertisements through newspapers and environment related magazines.
• Networking and supporting NGOs and stakeholder departments for creating environmental awareness in the local
community.
• Publishing of periodical reports and resource material such as posters, brochures, pamphlets and newsletters
which are distributed in schools, industries and municipalities for creating environmental awareness.
• Conducting Rally with School/ College Students in the District Head Quarter create awareness among the public
on green initiatives.
• Conducting Workshop/ Seminar in Colleges, Universities in coordination with NSS Coordinators on Biodiversity
conservation, Municipal Solid Waste Management, Community environmental initiatives.
• Conducting Workshops in Hospitals on Bio-medical Waste Management practices.
• Conducting Workshops in Industry on Green building concepts, Waste Minimization, Cleaner production initiatives,
Energy conservation etc.