Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary (18031)
India, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2004

National site name: Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary

Central coordinates: Latitude: 14.0092, Longitude: 79.4638

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 150 to 800

Area of KBA (km²): 1270.00613

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary, earlier known as the Veliconda Wildlife Sanctuary, spreads over the districts of Cuddapah and Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. This area encompasses Turupukonda hills, part of the Velikonda Hill range, Somasila Dam and Kandaleru Reservoir. This area was proposed as the Velikonda Wildlife Sanctuary soon after the sightings of the Critically Endangered Jerdon’s Courser on the western slopes of Turupukonda Hills (Bhushan 1994) but it was declared only after about ten years as Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary. This IBA site contains Moist Deciduous forest, and Dry Thorn forest on the foothills of Velikonda Hill ranges, apart from Euphorbia scrub forests and monoculture plantation, especially of Eucalyptus and Terminalia arjuna.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: Sixty-eight bird species have been recorded in this Sanctuary recently (Jeganathan 2003), of which 3 species fall under Biome-10, 16 species under Biome-11, while 2 are Restricted Range species. Jerdon’s Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus was reported from this Sanctuary in 1986 (Bhushan 1994) and Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus was recorded very recently (P. Jeganathan pers. comm. 2003). OTHER KEY FAUNA: Leopard Panthera pardus, Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus, Chital Axis axis, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Chinkara Gazella bennettii and Wild Boar Sus scrofa are seen in the forested areas. Even the Wolf Canis lupus has been reported, along with Golden Jackal C. aureus and Indian Fox Vulpes bengalensis (Jeganathan 2003).

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Shrubland	50
Forest	50

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Clearance of scrub jungle habitat; Construction of dams and reservoirs; Quarrying on the hills; Illegal felling; Construction of roads inside the Sanctuary to the Sri Penusila Narasimha Swamy temple. The Sri Penusila Narasimha Swamy temple, present inside the Sanctuary, attracts large numbers of pilgrims, especially during festivals. Disposal of non-degradable litter and plastic bags is a major conservation problem. Illegal felling is common and increases during the pilgrimage period. The proposal to increase the height of the Somasila dam and extend the Kandeleru reservoir will result in further submergence of forest area inside the Sanctuary. Clearing the scrub jungle habitat for lemon farming and monoculture plantations is another issue that needs to be addressed.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Small-holder farming	Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations	Small-holder plantations	Ongoing
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use	Large dams	Only in the future
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing
Pollution	Garbage & solid waste		Ongoing
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads		Ongoing

Additional information