Biodiversity Park in Sirumalai Hills: Tamil Nadu | 10 Jun 2022
Why in News?
The Government of Tamil Nadu is developing a biodiversity park in the Sirumalai Hill Range in Dindigul district.
- The main aim is to create awareness for the sustainable management of the ecologically sensitive area.
What are the Key Points of this Park?
- This park is a nature reserve that harbours the natural heritage of the area and has conservation, education and cultural values and will enhance the quality of the environment.
- Various biodiversity components such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, etc, have been showcased here.
- Different types of flowering plants have been planted all around the park and necessary irrigation facilities have been provided.
- Assemblage of nectar plants to attract butterflies and host plants has also been planned.
What is a Biodiversity Park?
- About:
- The biodiversity park is a unique landscape of wilderness where ecological assemblages of native plant and animal species in the form of biological communities are recreated in a region.
- The underlying principle of the park is to recreate self-sustaining ecosystems with native flora and fauna which are characteristics of the area.
- Objectives:
- Creating awareness among the forest stakeholders, the public and the student community about biological diversity and its significance.
- Creating plant diversity that is endangered, threatened and highly valuable for human existence.
- Creating a gene bank with important plant species including rare and endemic ones.
- Creating a carbon sink for future generations with indigenous species to mitigate problems of global warming and climate change.
- Promoting the culture of conservation and appreciation towards natural resources and its management.
- Creating livelihood opportunities for local communities, especially the tribal community who are part and parcel of the forest ecosystem from time immemorial.
What are the Key Points Related to Sirumalai Hill Range?
- About:
- The Sirumalai Hills are spread over 60,000 acres in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu.
- They are considered to be the spur of the Eastern Ghats. They are located about 25 kilometres from Dindigul town, at an altitude of 400 to 1,650 metres from mean sea level.
- The hills act as a repository of several rare and endemic plants.
- Flora:
- The lower hill range consists of highly disturbed scrub forest while the major portion of the middle hill ranges are occupied by tropical mixed dry deciduous forest.
- The higher elevations are occupied by semi evergreen forest. The woodland savannahs are found along the slopes in the higher altitudes.
- Fauna:
- Animals like Gaur, Leopard, spotted deer, mouse deer, barking deer, Jackal, Sloth Bear, wild boar, Indian pangolin, slender loris and several species of reptiles and avifauna (Birds) are found in the region.
