Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS)

Source: NIE

Context: Two tiger cubs were found dead in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS), Karnataka, while their mother tigress has gone missing.

About Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS):

• What It Is? A protected area in Karnataka, declared in 1987 under the Wildlife Protection Act, later expanded to over 1,027 km² in 2013. It acts as a vital tiger and elephant habitat.

• A protected area in Karnataka, declared in 1987 under the Wildlife Protection Act, later expanded to over 1,027 km² in 2013. It acts as a vital tiger and elephant habitat.

• Location:

• Spread across Mandya, Chamarajanagar, and Ramanagara districts of Karnataka. Lies along the Cauvery River and shares boundaries with Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri forests. Serves as a wildlife corridor linking Bannerghatta NP, BRT Tiger Reserve, and MM Hills WS.

• Spread across Mandya, Chamarajanagar, and Ramanagara districts of Karnataka.

• Lies along the Cauvery River and shares boundaries with Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri forests.

• Serves as a wildlife corridor linking Bannerghatta NP, BRT Tiger Reserve, and MM Hills WS.

• Key Features:

• Climate: Semi-arid, with rainfall from both SW and NE monsoons. Landscape: Dry deciduous, thorn forests, riverine patches, and evergreen sholas. Tourist sites: Hogenakkal Falls, Mekedatu, Sangam.

• Climate: Semi-arid, with rainfall from both SW and NE monsoons.

• Landscape: Dry deciduous, thorn forests, riverine patches, and evergreen sholas.

• Tourist sites: Hogenakkal Falls, Mekedatu, Sangam.

• Flora:

• Dominant trees: Terminalia arjuna, Syzygium cumini, Hardwickia binata, Albizia amara, Tamarindus indica. Mix of deciduous and evergreen vegetation ensures biodiversity resilience.

• Dominant trees: Terminalia arjuna, Syzygium cumini, Hardwickia binata, Albizia amara, Tamarindus indica.

• Mix of deciduous and evergreen vegetation ensures biodiversity resilience.

• Fauna:

• Flagship species: Tiger, Asian elephant, leopard, dhole, sloth bear. Other mammals: Sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar, chevrotain, macaques. Endangered fauna: Grizzled giant squirrel, smooth-coated otter, hump-backed mahseer fish. Birds: Over 280 species, including white-rumped vulture, Nilgiri wood-pigeon, yellow-throated bulbul.

• Flagship species: Tiger, Asian elephant, leopard, dhole, sloth bear.

• Other mammals: Sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar, chevrotain, macaques.

• Endangered fauna: Grizzled giant squirrel, smooth-coated otter, hump-backed mahseer fish.

• Birds: Over 280 species, including white-rumped vulture, Nilgiri wood-pigeon, yellow-throated bulbul.

• Significance:

• Ecological Role – Maintains genetic connectivity for large carnivores in the Western & Eastern Ghats. Water Security – Protects the Cauvery River catchment, vital for South India’s drinking and irrigation needs.

• Ecological Role – Maintains genetic connectivity for large carnivores in the Western & Eastern Ghats.

• Water Security – Protects the Cauvery River catchment, vital for South India’s drinking and irrigation needs.