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Birds & Butterflies Survey of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
Pavendhan A
[email protected]
Need for the Study
Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve is a protected area and tiger reserve along the Western Ghats in the
Erode District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. First declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 2008 and enlarged in 2011, it covers a
forest area of 1,408.4 square km and is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. In 2013, it became the fourth tiger reserve
as a part of Project Tiger in the state of Tamil Nadu. Sathyamangalam forest range is a significant wildlife corridor in the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve between the Western Ghats and the rest of the Eastern Ghats and a genetic link between the four other
protected areas which it adjoins, including the Billigiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Sigur Plateau, Mudumalai Na-
tional Park and Bandipur National Park. The sanctuary covers parts of Sathyamangalam taluk and Gobichettipalayam taluk of
Erode District in north western Tamil Nadu.
In December 2018, first combined birds and butterflies survey was conducted across Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve covering
all ranges. The survey returned 241 bird species and 150 butterflies. The updated checklist (June 2019), stands at 252 birds and
166 butterflies (based on summer survey held in June 2019).
In this regard, and in order to assess the current status of occurrence of Birds and Butterflies in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Re-
serve, the CCF &FD of STR, Dr. V. Naganathan IFS had directed to conduct a survey on birds and butterflies, for the second year
in running during peak winter season. Accordingly, 13-15, December 2019 was chosen as the survey period and planning the
exercise started immediately. District Forest Officer & Deputy Director Mr. P.G. Arun Lal, IFS, Sathyamangalam Division, STR,
District Forest Officer & Deputy Director, Mr. Kumili Venkata Appala Naidu, IFS, Hassanur Division, STR had guided in the execu-
tion of the survey. The survey was coordinated to the micro level by Mr. C Sakthivel, Biologist, STR and Dr V. Kannan, Biologist,
STR, Forest Range Officers of 10 ranges and NGO representatives of The Nature and Butterfly Society, WWF-India, Coimbatore
Nature Society, and Vulture Conservation Forum.
PATTAMPOOCHI
A TNBS MAGAZINE
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