Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
About Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
Far From City: 38 kms from city center
Cost:
About Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
Weather:
Time Required:3-4 hours
Open Time:6:00 AM - 6:00 PM (timings may change according to sunrise and sunset timings)
Cost:Price varies according to Safari package chosen
Tiger Research Project
The region where the Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary lies was a very popular site for hunting. Until the year 1965, it was a marked game reserve that encouraged hunting in a controlled manner. It was only later under the Wildlife (Protection) Act that the region was declared as a sanctuary. This event occurred in 1972. The final notification came in August 1999. After this, the area was divided into six ranges: Kadam, Pembi, Jannaram, Indanpally, Tadlapet, and Birsaipet. In 2012, the sanctuary was declared as a tiger reserve. This led to the shift of tigers from Chandrapur region to the Kawal sanctuary. The migration of the tigers was done because the vegetation and environment of the Kawal sanctuary are a lot more suited for tiger's environment now and in the future.
Geography of Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
The location of the sanctuary makes it a corridor that serves in connecting the southern forests of Andra Pradesh and the forests of Maharashtra which in turn are connected to the forests in the Vidharba region. The primary source of water for this region is the Kadam reservoir. The reservoir fills during floods and supplies water to the Godavari throughout the year. The states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh depend on the water of Godavari. After it passes through the forest, the river renews its water from the various streams that flow through the forest and swells up. Godavari River is the lifeline of this region.
Flora, Fauna and Residing Tribes in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
The forest of the sanctuary is tropical with an abundance of dry teak and bamboo. It is thus home to colossal biodiversity which includes various trees and plants along with a variety of birds and animals. The flora of the forest consists of bamboo, Terminalia, Pterocarpus, anogeisus and cassias. More than 250 species of birds have been recorded in this region. The forest has a stronghold for the Grey Gallus Sonneratii and the Red Gallus Junglefowl. This is particularly rare as these species are not found sharing common regions a lot.
The forest is also home to the sanctuary is home to leopard, gaur, chital, blackbuck, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, sloth bear, wolf, dhole and hyena. Most of these animals are listed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
The region has about 70 villages that cater to different tribes. Gond, Nayakpod and Kolam tribals, and Lambada, the Banjara gipsies are the majority of the tribes that reside in the Kawal forest. These tribes are registered under the scheduled tribes and mainly make a livelihood from marginal farming. Large areas of forests are being cleared by them for agricultural purposes which leads to deforestation. Lately, steps have been taken to control their activities. More check posts have been erected to control the indigenous population and poachers/smugglers.
Best time to visit Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
The animals tend to come out to open areas during colder months. That is why the best time to visit Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary is between the months November to May. It makes the animals a lot easier to spot. The temperature ranges between 17 to 25 degrees Celsius in November and 22 to 27 degrees Celsius in May. There is a little to no rain during these months in this region.
How to Reach Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
The best way to reach Kawal is to drive down personally or hire a cab. The bus services do not drop off at exact safari and forest region points. The sanctuary is just 250 kilometres from Hyderabad and 50 kilometres from Mancherial.
Top Tourist Places in Adilabad
Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
Pochera Waterfalls
Mahatma Gandhi Park
Sivaram Wildlife Sanctuary
Kadile Papahareshwar Temple
Jainath Temple
All Tourist Places in Adilabad
Where to Stay
The most popular resort is Haritha Hotel in Jannaram which serves delicious Andhra meals. This resort is located very close to a water body which provides all its guests with a scenic view. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism has a couple more hotels and restaurants in the region.
Tips
Safaris are cancelled if it has rained the day before as the roads get muddy and unsafe. It is suggested to check the weather forecast before making a safari booking.
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