Description

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Context:

Recently, the State Board of Wildlife gave conditional approval to the environmentalists working to conserve green cover in the Western Ghats, for the Sharavathy Pumped Storage Project in the Sharavathy Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary.

About Sharavathy Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary

Category	Details
Location	Sharavathi River Valley, Sagar taluk, Shivamogga District, Karnataka, in the Western Ghats.
Formation	Created by merging Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Aghanashini Lion-Tailed Macaque Conservation Reserve, and adjacent reserve forests.
Boundaries	Shares a southwestern boundary with Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary.
Flora	Rich in species such as Dhoopa, Gulmavu, Surahonne, Mavu, Nandi, etc.
Fauna	Key habitat for endangered Lion-Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus), endemic to the Western Ghats. Other mammals include tiger, leopard, wild dog, jackal, sloth bear, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, wild pig, common langur, bonnet macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, etc.

National Parks/Wildlife Sanctuary of Karnataka

Protected Area	Key Features	Major Flora	Major Fauna	Threats
Anshi National Park / Kali Tiger Reserve	Deciduous & montane rainforest; on Kali River; part of Dandeli WLS; Project Tiger Reserve.	Cinnamon, bamboo, eucalyptus	Elephant (EN), Bengal tiger (EN), black panther (VU), Malabar civet, Malabar giant squirrel.	Tourism, mining.
Bandipur National Park	Part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; Kabini River separates it from Nagarhole.	Teak, rosewood, sandalwood	Indian elephant, gaur, tiger, sloth bear, chital, dhole.	Speeding vehicles, cattle grazing, deforestation, invasive species.
Bannerghatta National Park	Elephant corridor between Biligirirangana Hills & Sathyamangalam forest.	Sandalwood, bamboo, eucalyptus	Elephant, Bengal tiger, gaur, leopard, sloth bear, Indian gazelle.	Illegal granite mining.
Bhadra Tiger Reserve	Near Baba Budangiri hills; Hebbe & Manikyadhara Falls nearby.	Kadam, teak, rosewood	Tiger, lion-tailed macaque (EN), leopard, Malabar giant squirrel.	Mining, tourism, tribal activities.
Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Tiger Reserve	Connects Eastern & Western Ghats; critical for gene flow.	Evergreen, deciduous, grasslands	Wild elephants, tiger, gaur, sambhar, chital.	Quarrying, poaching.
Kudremukh National Park	Tunga & Bhadra Rivers; shola grasslands; proposed part of Bhadra Tiger Reserve.	Rosewood, teak	Malabar civet, lion-tailed macaque (EN), bonnet macaque.	Iron ore mining, tourism.
Nagarhole National Park	Foothills of Western Ghats; Important Bird Area; Jenu Kuruba tribe inhabits.	Rosewood, teak, bamboo	Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, chital, gaur, marsh crocodile.	Poaching, tourism, forest fragmentation.
Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary	Western Ghats; only known breeding site of Wroughton’s free-tailed bat (CR).	NA	Wroughton’s free-tailed bat (CR).	Mining, habitat degradation.
Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary	Contiguous with BR Hills, Sathyamangalam TR; Mekedatu & Hogenakal Falls.	NA	Tiger, elephant, Malabar giant squirrel, grizzled giant squirrel.	Habitat fragmentation.
Daroji Bear Wildlife Sanctuary	Near Hampi; preserves sloth bears.	NA	Sloth bear (VU).	Habitat degradation.
Ranganathittu Wildlife Sanctuary	Largest bird sanctuary in Karnataka; Pakshi Kashi; islets on Cauvery River.	NA	Painted stork, Asian openbill, mugger crocodile, otter.	Flooding from KRS dam.
Sharavathi Valley WLS	Jog Falls; Sharavathi River; Linganamakki Reservoir.	NA	NA	Habitat loss.
Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary	Source of Cauvery River; on Brahmagiri hills.	NA	NA	Habitat degradation.
Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary	India’s first vulture sanctuary.	NA	Long-billed vulture (CR), Egyptian vulture (EN), white-rumped vulture (CR).	Habitat loss.
Yadahalli Chinkara WLS	First Chinkara sanctuary in Karnataka.	NA	Chinkara (LC).	Habitat loss.
Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary	Western Ghats; Kumara Parvatha peak (1,712 m); waterfalls.	NA	Malabar giant squirrel, Nilgiri marten, lion-tailed macaque (EN).	Tourism, habitat loss.

READ ABOUT

Lion-Tailed Macaque: Unique Facts & Habitat Insights

Source:

THE HINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in Karnataka:

Nagarhole National Park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
Bandipur National Park is situated on the border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and it is part of the Western Ghats.
Bannerghatta National Park is located near Bangalore.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: D

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Nagarhole National Park (also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park) is known for its tiger population and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.