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{{Short description|Wildlife sanctuary and elephant reserve in Andhra Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary
| alt_name =
| iucn_category = IV
| photo = Andhra Pradesh - Landscapes from Andhra Pradesh, views from Indias South Central Railway (77).JPG
| photo_alt =
| photo_caption = View of a part of the Sanctuary
| photo_width = 250px
| map = India Andhra Pradesh
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, India.
| map_width =
| location = [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| nearest_city = [[Chittoor]]
| coords = {{coord|13|01|30|N|78|38|42|E|region:IN|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref = <ref name="OFF">{{cite web |url=http://forest.ap.nic.in/WL%20KAUNDINYA.htm |title=APFD Website |publisher=Forest.ap.nic.in |access-date=2012-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521235228/http://forest.ap.nic.in/WL%20KAUNDINYA.htm |archive-date=21 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| area = {{convert|357.6|km2|acre|abbr=on}}
| established = December 1990
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[Andhra Pradesh Forest Department]]
| world_heritage_site =
| url =
}}
[[File:Working Elephant Vietnam.jpg|thumb|[[Asian elephant]]|alt=]]
'''Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary''' is a [[wildlife sanctuary]] and an [[Project Elephant|elephant reserve]] situated in [[Andhra Pradesh]], India. It is the only sanctuary in [[Andhra Pradesh]] with a population of [[Asian elephants]], which migrated after 200 years from neighbouring regions.<ref name="IBA">{{cite web |url=http://ibcn.in/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/13-136-168-Andhra-Pradesh.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-07-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411070224/http://ibcn.in/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/13-136-168-Andhra-Pradesh.pdf |archive-date=2013-04-11 }}</ref>

== History ==
Kaundinya is a region to which elephants have returned after 200 years. In the last decade, elephants have been migrating more than ever before, looking for habitable forests. From 1983 to 1986, a sizable number of [[elephants]] began their journey from the forests of Anekal-Hosur in [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Bannerghatta National Park|Bannerghatta]] in [[Karnataka]] to seek alternative homes in other regions. Thirty-nine of the elephants moved to the forests of [[Andhra Pradesh]], a state which had no elephants before. This led to the government setting up the sanctuary in December 1990. Today it is home to about 72 [[elephants]].<ref name="IBA" /><ref name="HN">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/07/30/stories/2005073002210700.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629210339/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/07/30/stories/2005073002210700.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-06-29 |title=Metro Plus Chennai / Travel : Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary |date=2005-07-30 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=2012-07-30}}</ref>

== Geography ==
The habitat of Kaundinya sanctuary is rugged with high hills and deep valleys. The sanctuary has [[Northern_dry_deciduous_forests|dry deciduous forests]] with thorny scrubs interspersed with trees. These forests have small ponds, tanks and the Kaindinya and Kaigal tributaries of [[Palar River]]. The sanctuary is situated in region where the [[Kolar Plateau]] ends and slopes down into the plains of [[Tamil Nadu]] creating many valleys and ghats.<ref name="HN" />

===Kalyan Revu Water Falls===
[[File:Kalyan Revu.jpg|thumbnail|Kalyan Revu Water Falls]]
'''Kalyana Revu WaterFalls''' (also called Kalyan Drive Falls) is a waterfall located to the North of Palamaner in the Chittoor district of India in the Koudinya Wildlife Sanctuary. The falls are located 10 kilometres from Palamaner.

===Kaigal Water Falls===

'''Kaigal Waterfalls''' is a waterfall located to the west of Palamaner in the Chittoor district of India in the Koudinya Wildlife Sanctuary. The falls are located 28 kilometres from Palamaner and 10 km from V.Kota. It lies between Palamaner and Kuppam national highway.

== Flora and fauna ==
The sanctuary is covered by [[South_Deccan_Plateau_dry_deciduous_forests|southern tropical dry deciduous]] and thorn forests. Some of the important flora consists of ''[[Albizia amara]]'', ''[[Acacia]]'', ''[[Lagerstroemia]]'', ''[[Ficus]]'', [[bamboo]], and a species which is a regeneration of ''[[Santalum album]]''.<ref name="OFF" />

The sanctuary is primarily an elephant reserve and is home to about 78 [[Indian elephant]]s. The [[vulnerable species|vulnerable]] [[yellow-throated bulbul]] is present in the sanctuary. Some of the other animals found in the sanctuary are [[sloth bear]], [[Panthera|panther]], [[cheetal]], [[chowsingha]], [[sambar (deer)|sambar]], [[porcupine]], [[wild boar]], [[jungle cat]], [[jackal]], [[jungle fowl]], [[Indian star tortoise|starred tortoise]] and [[slender loris]].<ref name="OFF" />

==Threats and conservation issues==
The threats faced in the sanctuary are [[Human-wildlife conflict|man-animal conflict]], [[over-grazing]], illegal collection of wood. Insufficient fodder in the forest due to [[over-grazing]] by [[livestock]], and availability of crops like [[sugarcane]], [[sorghum]] and [[Finger millet|ragi]] attracts elephants, resulting in man-animal conflict. As of 2002, 42 people have been killed by elephants, and 12 elephants have been [[electrocuted]] to death by local population.<ref name="IBA" />

[[Kalyani Dam]] in Chamala Valley, a part of [[Sri Venkateswara National Park]], is a good habitat for elephants. A [[Wildlife_corridor|corridor for elephants]] is being planned between Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary and [[Sri Venkateswara National Park]] under [[Project Elephant]].<ref name="IBA" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External link==
{{commonscatinline|Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary}}

{{Protected areas of Andhra Pradesh}}
{{Wildlife sanctuaries of Andhra Pradesh}}
[[Category:Chittoor district]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1990]]

Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary - Revision history

>GreenC bot at 20:46, 21 April 2021