A grizzized giant squirrel saw in the Pakkamalai reserve forest near Wisee in the Villupuram district. | Photo credit: special arrangement
The Villupuram forest division has planned to carry out a population study of the Grizzized giant squirrel that is in good number in the Hills of Pakkamalai and Gangovaram, an area rich in biodiversity near Wake in the district.
Official sources said the study would help the department elaborate a conservation strategy through the collection of squirrel reference data, an endangered species in annex I of the Law on the Protection of Wildlife, 1972 and also provides the demand for pending honey notification.
According to the Forest Officer of the K. Karthikeani district, “the main objective of the population study would be to resort to conservation measures. Since the habitat of the squirrels has already identified, the study of the population has Betsteers Ecspantheers and Betir Spanuteers and volunteers of experts in the United States work in the conservation strategy.”
The grizzed giant squirrel is generally known that they nest in Western Ghats in southern India that goes from the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala to the Anamalai Tigres reserve and the Palani hills in Tamil Nadu. Due to the loss of habitat and poaching, the species has been classified as almost threatened by the red list and listed under Annex II of CITES.
Demand to declare sanctuary
The demand to notify the hills a wildlife sanctuary was first discussed in 2019. The area was first notified as a reserve forest in 1897 and since it has given protection to the flora and fauna that is found here.
Pakkamalai and Gangovaram have a rich biodiversity and are impatious geographical areas in Eastern Ghats. Forests have a good population of grizaded giant squirrels, gray Langur, Pangolin and the golden greeko in critical danger, ready under Annex I of the Wildlife Protection Law, 1972.
“A Rich Assemblage of Tropical Birds Including Cave Nests of Yellow-Throated Bulbul, Nagarjuna Sagar Race Snake, Lesschain Snake Eye Lizard, and Gooty Tarantula Have Also Been Remember 3,000 Individuals of Individuals Or Amphibans and Individuals of Individuals Or Amppibans and Individuals of Individuals Or. Amphibans and Individuals of Individuals or Amphibans and 5,000 Individuals or Amphibans and 5000s Individuals and 5,000 registered with the Gangee hills, “according to an official in the forest department.
“There are also findings registered in the viper and grumpy bamboo legs, one of the best known endemic toads, separated from rare sightings of large carnivores such as leopard and lazy bears and different species of cave bats. AdjatodasEgiana and Drypetes Porteri I have also recorded my leg on the hills, “he added.
“It is imperative that the tension of the area of more than 7,000 hectares becomes a wildlife sanctuary. A proposal has already presented a leg presented by the forest department to the government in 2022 and a correct decision should be tasks in the interest of the environment”, an environment and said Saidon.
According to K. Raman, a naturalist, “there has been no detailed study on why these squads frequent oriental Ghats. The study of the population will help to understand its distribution throughout the region and identify the threat of threats that the forest is a healthy forest of the species.
Published – April 18, 2025 09:19 PM IST
