Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary

Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)

Lake in Kambalakonda EDC Visakhapatnam
Map showing the location of Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary
Location of Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh,India
Location Andhra Pradesh, India
Nearest city Visakhapatnam
Coordinates 17°49′31″N 83°18′31″E / 17.82528°N 83.30861°E / 17.82528; 83.30861Coordinates: 17°49′31″N 83°18′31″E / 17.82528°N 83.30861°E / 17.82528; 83.30861
Area 70.70 km2 (17,470 acres)
Established March 10, 1970
Governing body Andhra Pradesh Forest Department
Eastern Ghats view in Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary
Calotes versicolor basking on a grass at Kambalakonda
View of Kambalakonda Wildlife sanctuary from Gudilova
Helicteres isora East Indian screw tree at Kambalakonda
Carissa spinarum flowers at Kambalakonda
Polyalthia cerasoides red berries bunch at Kambalakonda
Pachiopta Hector moving on grass leaf at Kambalakonda
Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica
Red cedar fruit Erythroxylum monogynum at Kambalakonda
Axis axis spotted deer at Kambalakonda

The Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest located near Visakhapatnam. It is under the control of Andhra Pradesh Forest Department since March 10, 1970. Earlier the land was under the control of Maharajah of Vizianagaram. It was named after the local hillock Kambalakonda. It is a dry evergreen forest mixed with scrub and meadows and covers an area of 70.70 square kilometers. The indicator species is the Indian leopard. [1]

Geography

The sanctuary is located between latitudes of 17.34° N to 17.47° N and longitudes of 83.04° E to 83.20° E. The location corresponds to an area west of National Highway 5 (India) on the northern side of Visakhapatnam and Pendurthi in Vizianagaram district. It can be reached by road about 20 km from Visakhapatnam.

The sanctuary has a dry evergreen forest mixed with scrub and meadows. The terrain is hilly with steep slopes.

Flora and fauna

Flora: There is diverse flora and fauna in this sanctuary representing the Eastern Ghats. Floral diversity is high and includes

Common name Formal name
Indian licorice Abrus precatorius
Sage-leaved alangium Alangium salviifolium
Neem tree Azadirachta indica
Bidi leaf tree Bauhinia racemosa
Mountain pomegranate Catunaregam spinosa
Buttercup tree Cochlospermum religiosum
Golden shower tree Cassia fistula
Bush plum tree Carissa spinarum
White Fig tree Ficus virens
Indian Screw tree Helicteres isora
Indian ash tree Lannea coromandelica
Ironwood tree Manilkara hexandra
Indian Mulberry Morinda tinctoria
Jungle berry Polyalthia cerasoides
Dinnerplate tree Pterospermum suberifolium
Jamun tree Syzygium cumini
Red cutch tree Senegalia chundra
Teak Tectona grandis
Indigo tree Wrightia tinctoria
Dhaman tree Grewia tiliaefolia
Indian thorny bamboo Bambusa bambos
Hairy Fig tree Ficus hispida
Indian Rosewood Dalbergia sissoo
East Indian satinwood Chloroxylon swietenia
Indian Boxwood Gardenia latifolia

Fauna: There is a varied fauna[2] present in the sanctuary
The Familiar Mammals in the sanctuary

Common name Formal name Observed
Indian muntjac Muntiacus muntjak Common
Indian leopard Panthera pardus fusca Rare
Indian jackal Canis aureus indicus Rare
Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata Rare
Indian boar Sus scrofa cristatus Common
Indian crested porcupine Hystrix indica Common
Indian hare Lepus nigricollis Common
Rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus Rare
Jungle cat Felis chaus Common
Madras treeshrew[3] Anathana ellioti Rare
Ruddy mongoose Herpestes smithii Common
Spotted Deer Axis axis Common
Asian palm civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus Common

Common Reptiles in the sanctuary

Common name Formal name Observed
Indian python Python molurus Rare
Rat snake Ptyas mucosus Common
Indian cobra Naja naja Common
Common Indian bronzeback Dendrelaphis tristis Common
Common Asian vine snake Ahaetulla nasuta Rare
Russell's viper Daboia russelii Rare
Indian chameleon Chamaeleo zeylanicus Common
Bengal monitor Varanus bengalensis Common

Familiar Birds[4] of the Sanctuary

Common name Formal name Observed
Indian paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi Common
Rufous treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda Common
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Common
Indian golden oriole Oriolus kundoo Rare
Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus Rare
Grey francolin Francolinus pondicerianus Rare
Laughing dove Spilopelia senegalensis Common
Spotted dove Spilopelia chinensis Common
Red-wattled lapwing Vanellus indicus Common
Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri Common
Pied crested cuckoo Clamator jacobinus Common
Barn owl Tyto alba Rare
Spotted owlet Athene brama Common
Green bee-eater Merops orientalis Common
Indian grey hornbill Ocyceros birostris Rare
Indian roller Coracias benghalensis Common
Red-whiskered bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Common
Indian robin Copsychus fulicatus Common
Baya weaver Ploceus philippinus Common
White wagtail Motacilla alba Common
Pied kingfisher Ceryle rudis Common
Banded bay cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii Rare
Purple-rumped sunbird Nectarinia zeylonica Common
Painted spurfowl Galloperdix lunulata Rare
White-bellied sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Rare

Some of the Butterflies[5] observed in the sanctuary

Common name Formal name Observed
Lemon Pansy Junonia lemonias Common
Anomalous nawab Charaxes agraria Common
Indian sunbeam Curetis thetis Common
Plain tiger Danaus chrysippus Common
Peacock Pansy Junonia almana Rare
Common Banded peacock Papilio crino Rare
Great eggfly Hypolimnas bolina Common
Common crow Euploea core Common
Danaid eggfly Hypolimnas misippus Common
Lime swallowtail Papilio demoleus Common
Blue tiger Tirumala limniace Common
Common Mormon Papilio polytes Common
Mottled Emigrant Catopsilia pyranthe Common
Common Jay Graphium doson Common
Dark grass blue Zizeeria karsandra Common
Common Gull Cepora nerissa Common
Monkey puzzle Rathinda amor Common
Common pierrot Castalius rosimon Common
Baronet Euthalia nais Rare

See also

References

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