The Tamil Nadu government has declared 80,114.80 hectares of reserve forests in Bargur Hills in Erode district, as the Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

National

The Tamil Nadu government has declared 80,114.80 hectares of reserve forests in Bargur Hills in Erode district, as the Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. This stretch of protected forests, links the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve with Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary, and has been notified as the 18th wildlife sanctuary in the State. The announcement about the setting up of the sanctuary was first made in the 2023 State Budget. A notification issued by the Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, G.O. (Ms) No. 19, dated January 30, 2024, said these forests occupies a prominent position in the Eastern Ghats as they merge with the Western Ghat at the Nilgiris. This region is part of the corridor that connects the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) to the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Tiger Reserve and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, and plays a crucial role in maintaining a viable tiger population.


      It is one of the tiger corridors identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, and is home to a number of tigers.

      The region is also part of the Nilgiris Elephant Reserve and is home to a healthy population of large herbivores including elephants and the Indian Gaur.

      Forest areas covering North Bargur (47,323.50 hectares), South Bargur (24,736.80), Thamaraikarai (3,037.37), South Bargur Part 844 (2,521.28), Ennamangalam (2,269.37) and the Nagalur reserve forest area (226.48 hectares) fall under the sanctuary, while six tribal habitations and roads connecting these habitations were excluded.

 

     


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