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Which of the following Protected Areas are located in the Cauvery basin?

  1. Nagarhole National Park
  2. Papikonda National Park
  3. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
  4. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

Nagarhole National Park is correct
  • Nagarhole National Park is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats. It is recognised as an Important Bird Area. Jenu Kurubas (honey-collecting tribe) live in this park.
  • Vegetation: Moist & dry deciduous forests, swamp forests, and bamboo.
  • Major Flora: Rosewood, teak, sandalwood and silver oak.
  • Major Fauna: Bengal tiger, leopard, Indian elephant, chital, chausingha, gaur, mugger (marsh crocodile).
  • Threats: Tourism, fragmentation of forests, and poaching.
  • Nagarahole River flows through the park and gradually joins the Kabini River (a tributary of the Cauvery), which is also a boundary between Nagarahole and Bandipur
Papikonda National Park is incorrect
  • Papikonda National Park, located in the Papi Hills across the East Godavari and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, India, is part of the Eastern Ghats and lies within the Godavari river basin. It is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area.
  • Major Fauna: Bengal tiger, leopard, hyena, Indian gaur, sloth bear, spotted deer (chital), sambar, barking deer (or Indian muntjac), four-horned antelope (chausingha), kanchu mekha (an endemic dwarf goat).
  • Major Avifauna: Common peacock, red jungle fowl.
  • Major Reptiles: Indian golden gecko, monitor lizard.
  • The National Park has a population of both Rhesus macaque (normally found north of Godavari) and Bonnet macaque (usually found south of Godavari).
  • Threats: Polavaram irrigation project (will submerge parts of the National Park), and clearing forest for Podu cultivation.
Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is correct
  • Located in Tamil Nadu’s Erode District and part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is crossed by the Bhavani River, a tributary of the Cauvery River.
  • Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve = Sathyamangalam + Hasanur Forest Divisions.
  • It is a wildlife corridor in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats and a genetic link between BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Mudumalai National Park and Bandipur National Park.
  • Vegetation: Dry deciduous forest and grasslands.
  • Major Fauna: Bengal tiger, elephant, gaur, leopard, spotted deer, blackbuck, sambar deer, barking deer.
  • Threats: Rampant poaching of tigers and elephants.
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is correct
  • The Kabini River, a tributary of the Cauvery River, flows through the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. It is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It is bounded by Nagarhole National Park and Bandipur National Park (Karnataka) and Mudumalai National Park.
Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 4 only; Difficulty Level: Hard
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