Srisailam Tiger Reserve
Srisailam Tiger Reserve, also known as Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve and Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, holds the distinction of being the largest tiger reserve in India. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1978, it was included in Project Tiger in 1983. Spread over 5 districts, the reserve claims the total area of 3,568 sq. km. which includes 1,200 sq. km. of core area. Topography of the reserve includes the Nallamala Hills, forested valleys, river gorges, plateaus and some very spectacular waterfalls that are worth visiting. Apart from southern tropical dry mixed deciduous forests and Deccan thorn scrub forests, the reserve is also home to Euphorbia scrubs. The wildlife treasures include Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, jungle cat, dholes, civet, mongoose, badgers, hyena, jackal, sambar, spotted deer, chinkara, black buck and wild boar among others. Popular birds at the reserve include partridges, jungle fowls, plovers, ducks, pochards, teals, quails, woodpeckers, barbets, cuckoo, hornbills, kingfishers, parakeets, doves, eagles, egrets, kites, herons, minivets, flycatchers and many more. Terrapins, geckos, marsh crocodile, monitor lizards, skinks, cobra, krait, vipers and pythons are the reptiles found here. The reserve’s attractions also include the huge Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam Dams, pilgarimage sites (including a Jyotirlinga and a Maha Shakti Peeth), ruins of Buddhist universities, ancient forts and rock shelters.