The Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Chittoor district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is 50 Km away from Chittoor and 120 Km from Bengaluru by road. The sanctuary covers an area of 358-sq-kms. The Kaundinya sanctuary is bordered with high hills and deep valleys. The Kaigal and Kaundinya are the two streams that flow through the sanctuary. The sanctuary is situated in region where the Deccan Plateau ends and slopes down into the plains of Tamil Nadu thus creating several valleys and ghats.
Flora and fauna of Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary
The Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a wide variety of animals and birds. Panthers, Tigers, Lions, Pumas, Jaguars, Himalayan Black Bear, the Sloth Bear, Wolves, Jackals, Wild Dogs, Hyenas, and Hippopotamus are some of the animals found. The Crocodile Complex has all the three Indian Crocodile species. The sanctuary also houses many different species of monkeys like the common Langur, Rhesus monkey, Bonnet Monkey and other exotic fauna like Mandrills, Olive Baboons etc. apart from these there are many herbivorous animals like Elephant, Bison, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Nilgai, Barking Deer and Thamin Deer.
Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary also provides shelter to many reptiles like Pythons, Snakes, Land Tortoises, Terrapins, Water Monitor Lizards, Monitor Lizards and others. Varied collection of birds from the Eastern Ghats in the large walk-through aviaries is a special attraction of the zoo. The Grey Pelicans, Rosy Pelicans, Pied Horn Bills, Painted Storks, Peacocks, Ducks, Love Birds, Budgerigars and Cockatiels form the bird collection of the Zoo. In the months of winter the lake and the pools of the sanctuary remains crowded with these various colorful migratory birds.
The best time to visit the Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is during the months of October to April. The tourism government has set up Forest guest house at Palamaneru, Madanapalli and Horseley Hills for the tourists to take shelter.
Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary endeavours to protect the lives of wild animals as they are in the roads to wipe because of the rapid growing modern civilization. This sanctuary helps various species to get the scope to enjoy the life and increase their number to maintain ecological balance.
