Sri Venkateswara National Park
Introduction
Named after Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity of Tirumala is the beautiful S.V. Sanctuary & Sri Venkateswara National Park, which have rich biodiversity.
The habitat supports rare and endangered animals and plants, a few of them endemic to this region.
The Government of India declared the entire core area of the Sanctuary as National Park duly enhancing the conservation status of the populations.
The national park spreads over the Seshachalam hills of Cuddapah district and Tirumala hills of Chittoor district in Eastern Ghats.
Uniqueness
The Sanctuary is a wonderful abode for rare and endangered floral and faunal species which are endemic only to Seshachalam hills in the whole world.
Indicator Species
Cycas beddomei, Pterocarpus santalinus (Red sanders), Slender loris, Golden gecko.
Legal Status
The total area of Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary is 525.97 sq kms and Goverment of India declared it as Sanctuary on 02-09-1985.
Out of this Wildlife Sanctuary, Sri Venkateswara National Park is an area of 353.62 sq km and declared a National Park on 16-10-1989.
This national park became the biosphere reserves of India in the year 2010
Forest Type found in Sri Venkateswara National Park
Southern tropical dry deciduous forests, Dry Red sanders bearing forests and Southern dry mixed deciduous forests.
About 1500 vascular plant species belonging to 174 families are in this area, many of which are endemic.
Red sanders, Shorea taluka, Shorea thumburggaia, Terminalia pallida, sandalwood, cycas beddomei, and some other rare and endemic plant species occur in this region.
Temperature
Mean annual: 25.220 C ; Max: 430C ; Min: 140 C .
Flora
This serene forest is brimming with a rich in faunal diversity like Cycas Shorea robusta, Santalum album, Red sanders, Sterculia urens, East Indian cork screw tree, Ficus religiosa, etc.
Beddomei, the living fossil is endemic to this region.
Fauna found in Sri Venkateswara National Park
The health of any ecosystem depends on all the componets viz; biotic as well as abiotic. Apart from plants, invertebrates too play a very crucial role in balancing the ecological web in nature.
Insects like Preying mantis, Painted grasshopper, Click beetle, Silk cotton bug, etc; play a crucial role in maintaining a proper balance in the food chain.
The forest is also rich in other lower invertebrates like arachnids, molluscs, etc. Amphibians that control the insects are represented by Tree frog, Bull frog, etc.
There is huge reptiles diversity in this National Park in the form of the rare, endemic and the endangered Golden gecko, Monitor lizard, Russell’s viper, etc.
Birds like Grey Hornbill, Crested serpent eagle, Black-headed Oriole, Pied kingfisher, etc. make this “ a harmonious place in the abode of Lord Tirumala.
The number of species of birds identified in this national park is 178.
The visitors can see globally threatened -“The yellow-throated bulbul” in this national park, along with grey- fronted green pigeon and birds from the Himalayan and western ghats are quite common here.
Apart from Slender Loris, the Sanctuary is also home to mammals like Leopard, Sloth bear, Mouse deer, Giant squirrels, Four-horned antelope, etc.
Gliding lizard found in some deep forested valley is among the most interesting species of reptiles.