AGASTHYAMALA BIOSPHERE RESERVE

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Context: The Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary derives its name from Gluta travancorica, a species endemic to the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve known as ‘Chenkurinji’ in local parlance. Belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, the tree was once abundant in the hills on the southern parts of Aryankavu Pass but its presence has been fast receding from the area over the years.

About the tree:

• Gluta travancorica is very susceptible to climate change and the present condition of the species is quite bad with low regeneration performance
• Though there are seemingly enough number of the trees, most are not productive, generating a negative trend in its population.
• Though the flowering of Gluta travancorica usually happens in January, of late, the species has reported a tendency to extend the process due to climate change
• Though the tree is also seen inside the shola forests near Ponmudi, effective pollination hardly takes place in the habitat.
• It’s reported to have medicinal properties and is used to lower blood pressure and treat arthritis. The heartwood is quite sturdy with deep red colour, and several trees were felled for wood during earlier days

About the biosphere reserve:

• Located in the Western Ghats in the south of the country, the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve has peaks reaching 1,868 m above sea level.
• Consisting mostly of tropical forest, the site is home to 2,254 species of higher plants including about 400 that are endemic.
• It is also a unique genetic reservoir of cultivated plants, in particular cardamom, jamune, nutmeg, pepper and plantain.
• Three wildlife sanctuaries, Shendurney, Peppara and Neyyar, are located in the site, as well as the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger reserve.
• Core area(s): 113,500 ha, Buffer zone(s): 144,500 ha, Transition zone(s): 92,000 ha
• It covers 3,500 km2 and encompasses tropical forest ecosystems that fall within the Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu and the Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts of Kerala, Southern India.
• It hosts one of the most diverse ecosystems in peninsular India and constitutes an important biogeographical ‘hot spot’ within the Western Ghats.
• The reserve is home to Kani tribes from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which number in total approximately 30,000 inhabitants.
• In particular, its prominence in the epic Ramayana has made it a famous site for Hindu pilgrimages.

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