NORTH DHARMAPURI HILLS

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NORTH DHARMAPURI HILLS

• AIYYUR, JUNE 22 / 2008

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GEOGRAPHY

• Bettamugalam and Aiyur form the northeastern
  boundry of the region, cauvery the southern (
  contiguous with MM hills and Biligirirangans) ,
  Sholagiri and Thali the eastern ( contiguous to
  the less significant Bannergatta NP). Pennagaram
  forms the southeastern boundary and further
  connects to the south arcot forests through
  highly fragmented patches.

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ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

• LARGE AREA OF AROUND 2,000 SQ KM
• ESSETIALLY AN ECOLOGICAL NICHE CONNECTING EASTERN
  AND WESTERN GHATS
• AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THIS ASPECT IS THE 1984
  MIGRATION OF A HERD OF 38 ELEPHANTS WHICH HAS
  SINCE POPULATED THE SESHACHALAM AND NORTH ARCOT
  HILLS ( EASTERN GHATS) AFTER A GAP OF 350 YEARS

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HISTORICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL INFO

• FIRST DETAILED DISCRIPTION FROM THE AGLO-MYSORE
  WARS
• THE PLAGUE AND OTHER EPIDEMICS WHICH RESULTED IN
  DESERTION OF VILLAGES OF SPIDER VALLEY IS WELL
  RECORDED IN THE GAZETTES
• IRULAS THE MAJOR TRIBE AND LIGAYATHS THE OTHER
  BIG COMMUNITY

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Donald Anderson
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Donald Anderson
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CONCERNS-

• LAST OF SCIENTIFIC DATA / INSUFFICIENT
  DOCUMENTATION
• NO PROTECTED AREA IN THE VICINITY
• LONG STANDING PROPOSAL OF CAUVERY ELEPHANT
  RESERVE NOT BEING CARRIED FORWARD.
• MAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT-Sixty-nine elephants died
  between 1991 and 2006, six panthers between 1993
  to 2005 and four Gaur between 1997 and 2006
• HABITAT FRAGMENTATION

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CURRENT ? PROTECTION

• The Elephants Reserve Seven of the Eastern Ghats,
  part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, comes
  under the Hosur Forest Division. A total of
  75,346 hectares in the Denkanikotta, Anchetty,
  Jawalagiri and Urigam ranges have been selected
  for the proposed Cauvery elephant sanctuary.

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HOW BEST TO GO FORWARD

• INCREASE LIASON WITH SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
  /CONSERVATION BODIES
• BETTER PR WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
• INCENTIVES FOR LOCAL POPULATION
• INCREASE LIASON WITH PRESS
• FORM A LOCAL CONSERVATION LOBBY
• STRESS ON CREATION OF A PROTECTED AREA