Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve

Infobox_protected_area|name = Agasthyamalai Biosphere ReserveLocation map|India
label= Agasthyamalai BR
position=right
background=
lat=8.37
long=77.17
float=left
width=250
iucn_category =
location =Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli Districts
nearest_city = Trivandrum
lat_degrees = 8
lat_minutes = 39
lat_seconds = 0
lat_direction = N
long_degrees =77
long_minutes =13
long_seconds = 0
long_direction = E
area = km2 to mi2|3500.36|abbr=yes
established =2001
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = [http://www.envfor.nic.in/report/0102/chap01.html#role Ministry of Environment & Forests]
[http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/br_agasthiyar.html Tamil Nadu Forest Dept.]
[http://www.keralaforest.org/html/wildlife/bio.htm Kerala Forest and Wildlife Dept.]

The Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR) was Established in 2001 and includes km2 to mi2|3500.36|abbr=yes out of which 1828 km² is in Kerala and 1672.36 km² is in Tamil Nadu. [Kerala Forests & Wildlife Dept, Biosphere Reserves. [http://www.keralaforest.org/html/wildlife/bio.htm Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve] ] [Tamil Nadu Forest Department (2007) retrieved 9/2/2007 [http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/br_agasthiyar.html AGASTHIYARMALAI BIOSPHERE RESERVE] ]

The Western Ghats, Agasthyamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.UNESCO, World Heritage sites, Tentative lists, Western Ghats sub cluster, Agasthyamalai. retrieved 4/20/2007 [http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2103/ World Heritage sites, Tentative lists] ]

Location

ABR straddles the border of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram Districts in Kerala and Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts in Tamil Nadu, South India at the southern end of the Western Ghats. The Biosphere lies Between 8° 8' to 9° 10' North Latitude and 76° 52' to 77° 34' East Longitude. Central location is coord|8|39|N|77|13|E|.

It is composed of Neyyar, [Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary [http://www.keralatourntravel.com/Kerala-WildLife-Neyyar.asp] ] Peppara [Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary [http://www.keralatourntravel.com/Kerala-WildLife-Peppara.asp] ] and Shendurney [Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary [http://www.wildkerala.com/html/forest.htm#hendurney] ] Wildlife Sanctuaries and their adjoining areas of Achencoil, [Achencoil, Kerala [http://www.keralaforest.org/html/tourism/Palaruvi.htm] ] Thenmala, Konni, [Konni, Kerala [http://www.keralaforest.org/html/tourism/konn.htm] ] Punalur, Thiruvananthapuram Divisions and Agasthyavanam Special Division in Kerala. [AGASTHYAVANAM BIOLOGICAL PARK, Kerala [http://www.keralaforest.org/html/tourism/agastyar.htm] ] Inclusion of adjoining areas of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu has been approved. The reserve now covers parts of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts in Tamil Nadu and Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta Districts in Kerala. [Tamil Nadu Forest Department (2007) retrieved 9/2/2007 [http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/br_agasthiyar.html AGASTHIYARMALAI BIOSPHERE RESERVE] ]

Ecology

ABR includes the Indian Ecoregions of South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests, South Western Ghats montane rain forests and Shola. It is the habitat for 2,000 varieties of medicinal plants, of which at least 50 are rare and endangered species. Rare animals include the tiger, Asian Elephant, and Nilgiri Tahr. Agastyamalai is also home to the Kanikaran, [Anuradha, R.V., "SHARING WITH THE KANIS, A case study from Kerala, India" [http://www.biodiv.org/doc/case-studies/abs/cs-abs-kanis.pdf] ] [Ministry of Forests and Environment-Report Ch10 Biodiversity/Kanis [http://envfor.nic.in/divisions/ic/wssd/doc2/ch10.html] ] one of the oldest surviving ancient tribes in the world. [The Hindu, 'Environment Ministry to soon declare Agastyamalai a biosphere reserve", Jan 3, 2006. [http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/03/stories/2006010301290400.htm] ] Ecotourism is popular in the area.

Management

A local committee and a state level Biosphere Management Committee co-ordinate the activities of various departments in the ABR area and ensure the scientific management of the ABR according to guidelines of the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests. [Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department [http://www.keralaforest.org/html/wildlife/bio.htm] ] [Wildlife Institute of India [http://www.wii.gov.in/nwdc/biosphere.htm] ] ABM is awaiting approval as participant in the UNESCO-Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. [UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list [http://www.unesco.org/mab/BRs/AsiaBRlist.shtm] ]

References