News Excerpt:
A tiger reportedly left its natural habitat of Papikonda National Park and was stranded nearly 40 km away from it.
About Papikonda National Park:
- It is situated in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, with an area of 1012.858 sq. km.
- Submergence area of Indira sagar Project (Polavaram Project).
- It has a tropical climate with a slopy terrain (30% to 50%), having lateritic, alluvial, loamy, and black soil.
- It receives 934 - 1375 mm of rainfall, with temperature ranges from 17 - 37 degrees Celsius and, at certain times, a maximum of 48 degrees Celsius.
- The forest types found in the National Park area are -
- Dry Mixed Teak Forests
- Southern dry mixed deciduous forests
- Southern moist mixed deciduous forests
- The area plays a key role in high precipitation and the consequent origin of various small streams and rivulets which drain and enrich the perennial River Godavari.
- The park exists in the Eastern Ghats which is known for rich floristic diversity with more than 2531 species.
- The park has species like the Tiger, Hyena and vulnerable bovidae the Indian gaur, sambar, barking deer, red jungle fowl, Indian python, monitor lizard, Indian Golden gecko etc.
- Its keystone species is Indian Gaur.
- A unique dwarf breed of goat known locally as the “kanchu mekha” originates in this region.
- The geological formation consists of Granite, Graphite, Gneisses, and associated rocks, Ferrugenous quartzites, banded magnetite and quartz.
- Most are metamorphic rocks.
