NTCA recommendations on declaring Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary as core area of Bandipur yet to be implemented

NTCA recommendations on declaring Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary as core area of Bandipur yet to be implemented

The recommendations of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), made a year ago, to notify the entire Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary as core and critical area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve is yet to be implemented.

NTCA Assistant Inspector-General of Forests, Harini Venugopal, conducted a site visit and submitted a report on November 17, 2023.

The report stated that taking into consideration the ecological significance of Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary which is inviolate and an ideal habitat for tigers and elephants, the State government may consider to propose and notify the entire sanctuary as core and critical area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the long term conservation of wildlife, its habitat and ecological corridors.

The site visit followed a submission by wildlife conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni who had raised the issue, saying that it was imperative for providing inviolate space for wildlife.

At present the entire Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary forms the buffer of Bandipur besides coming under the Eco-Sensitive Zone. The ESC of Nugu also overlaps with that of Bandipur and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Mr. Kulkarni had pointed out that the sanctuary supported a high density of elephants with a significant proportion of them being tuskers.

Apart from it, the Nugu also harboured a good number of tigers, leopards, wild dogs or dholes, spotted hyenas, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, chital and four-horned antelope.