Why in the News?

The Karnataka government’s move to build a tribal village in Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary’s buffer zone has sparked debates on environmental conservation, tribal rights, and human-wildlife conflict.

About Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary:

• The Brahmagiri WLS is located in Kodagu District, Karnataka, within the Western Ghats.
• It serves as a crucial ecological corridor, facilitating wildlife movement between Nagarhole National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

• Geographical Location and Features

• • It is situated approximately 250 km from Bengaluru and derives its name from the Brahmagiri Peak, the highest point in the region.
  • The sanctuary was declared a protected area on June 5, 1974, to conserve its unique flora and fauna.
  • The terrain consists of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, grasslands, and shola forests, which provide a habitat for various species.

• Flora:

• • Bamboo species are widely spread across the region, providing food for herbivores like elephants and deer.
  • The diverse vegetation supports a wide range of faunal species by offering food, shelter, and nesting sites.

• Fauna:

• • Carnivores: Tigers, jungle cats, leopard cats, wild dogs, and sloth bears.
  • Herbivores: Indian elephants, gaurs, sambars, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, and wild pigs.
  • Primates: Lion-tailed macaques, Nilgiri langurs, slender loris, bonnet macaques, and common langurs.
  • Small Mammals & Rodents: Malabar giant squirrels, giant flying squirrels, Nilgiri martens, common otters, brown mongooses, civets, porcupines, and pangolins.
  • Reptiles: King cobras, Indian cobras, pythons, Malabar pit vipers.
  • Birds: Emerald doves, square-tailed bulbuls, and Malabar trogons.

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