Rapid Fire
Excluding Settlements From Periyar Tiger Reserve
- 31 Dec 2024
- 2 min read
Recently, a team has been constituted by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to inspect Thattekad Bird Sanctuary and the Angel Valley and Pamba Valley settlements of Periyar Tiger Reserve.
- Angel Valley and Pamba Valley Settlements (Periyar Tiger Reserve):
- Located in Kerala, near the Mookkenpetty causeway and Kanamala bridge, these settlements arose under the ‘Grow More Food’ initiative of 1947-48 (after World War II) for ex-servicemen and their descendants.
- The Periyar Tiger Reserve is renowned for its biodiversity, including Bengal Tigers, Indian Elephants, and diverse flora and was recognized in 2022 as India’s best-managed tiger reserve.
- Residents face hardships due to wildlife incursions and forest regulations, prompting protests and demands for de-notification of 5.02 sq km of inhabited areas.
- Thattekad Bird Sanctuary:
- Situated near Kothamangalam on the Periyar River and is home to 280+ bird species.
- Established in 1983, it is named after Dr. Salim Ali (India's renowned ornithologist and bird conservationist), who deemed it the richest bird habitat in peninsular India.
- Proposed changes include excluding 897.25 ha of inhabited land and adding 1,016.94 ha of forest from the Munnar Division.
Read More: Conserving Protected Areas in India
