Tamil Nadu Government Declared To Establish A New Elephant Reserve

According to the Tamil Nadu government, a new elephant reserve would be built in the districts of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve was announced by the government in a gazette dated August 12 and has a total area of 1,19,748.26 hectares. The new elephant reserve is consisting of 37,936.9 hectares of forest land from Kanyakumari district and 81,811.36 hectares of forest from Tirunelveli district.

The forest is located in four taluks in the Kanyakumari district: Kalkulam, Vilavancode, Thiruvattur, and Thovalai. It is also located in three taluks in the Tirunelveli district: Ambasamudram, Nanguneri, and Radhapuram, reported The News Minute. As per the government's announcement, the Asian elephant is regarded as one of the world's top flagship species and its presence is a key sign of the health of a forest and its ecosystem.

The notice further notes that in the southernmost region of the Western Ghats, Asian elephants have their most significant habitats in the forest regions of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary. Additionally, it adds that the government of Tamil Nadu is taking action to protect the species and improve the health and connectivity of the elephant migratory corridors in Agasthyamalai landscape by adequate study and effective management strategies.

Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav explained in a tweet that Agasthiyamalai in Tamil Nadu will become India's newest elephant reserve later today, adding an additional 1,197 sq km of protected land for the protection of elephants.