Conservation of fauna of Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve – An overview

Abstract

The Indian Government has established 18 Biosphere reserves in India which protect larger areas of natural habitat and often include one or more National parks. Seshachalam hills, the first Biosphere Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, is located in southern Eastern Ghats of Chittoor and Kadapa districts. It is the richest floristic hot spot harboring many endemic and rare plants. Five Gecko species were recorded in this reserve, out of that the Golden Gecko Calodactylodes aureus are rare and endemic species in the biosphere reserve.12 species of lizards and 22 species of snakes are found Seshachalam Biosphere. The protection of habitat is an important aspect in the conservation of such species. The biospheres are sites where protection is granted to the flora and fauna of the protected region. Each biosphere reserve is intended to fulfil 3 basic functions such as conservative, development and logistic functions. The Wildlife is a potential source of useful products of global interest. Wildlife is nature’s gift and its decline has an adverse effect on ecology and hence there is an urgent need to protect the Wildlife. An awareness should be developed among the general public about the proper management and the necessity of conservation of natural ecosystem and wild Communities of plants and animals they contain. To ensure this certain legal steps are to be taken up by the Government to regulate the exploitation of Wildlife.