Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary
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Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is about 60 kilometers from Chittor and about 30 kilometers from the city of Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka. Many towns like V-Kota, Ramakuppam and villages like Bandarlapalle border the sanctuary.
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[edit] Spread
The sanctuary covers an area of 358 square kilometers. The habitat of Kaundinya sanctuary is rugged with high hills and deep valleys. The Kaigal and Kaundinya are two streams, which flow through the sanctuary. The sanctuary is situated in region where the Deccan Plateau ends and slopes down into the plains of Tamil Nadu creating many valleys and ghats.
[edit] Flora and fauna
The area is covered by a southern tropical thorn type of forest consisting of flora Albizia amara, Ficus religiosa, Ficus tomentosa, Ficus bengalensis and bamboo. A variety of animals like the Chital, the Four-horned Antelope, the Sambar Deer, mouse deers, hares, porcupines, wild boars, the Jungle Cat, jackals, the Sloth Bear, the Cougar, junglefowl, peafowl and elephants are found in the sanctuary.
[edit] Establishing the Sanctuary
Kaundinya is a sanctuary to which elephants have returned after 200 years. In the last decade, elephants have been migrating more than ever before, looking for habitable forests. From 1983 to 1986, a sizable number of elephants began their journey from the forests of Anekal-Hosur in Tamil Nadu and Bannerghatta in Karnataka to seek alternative homes in other States. Thirty-nine of the elephants moved to the forests of Andhra Pradesh, a State which had no elephants before. This led to the Indian government setting up the sanctuary; today it is home to more than 50 elephants.
