Papikonda National Park is a protected area in India. It is located near Rajamahendravaram in the Papi Hills of the Polavaram and Eluru districts in Andhra Pradesh. The park covers an area of 1,012.86 square kilometers (391.07 square miles). It is an important area for birds and other wildlife, and it is home to some plant and animal species that are at risk of disappearing. After 2014, the construction of the Polavaram Dam caused all parts of Papikonda to fall within the East and West Godavari districts.
Geography
The national park is located between 18° 49’ 20" N to 19° 18’ 14" N, and 79° 54’ 13" E to 83° 23’ 35" E. It covers parts of the Polavaram and Eluru districts in Andhra Pradesh. The park's elevation ranges from 20 to 850 meters (66 to 2,789 feet), and it receives an average annual rainfall of 1,168 millimeters. The Godavari River flows through the park.
Flora
The vegetation in Papikonda National Park includes plants from wet and dry forests. Trees found in the area are Pterocarpus marsupium, Terminalia elliptica, Terminalia arjuna, Adina cordifolia, Sterculia urens, Mangifera indica, and Anogeissus latifolia.
Fauna
The mammals seen or recorded using camera traps include Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Rusty-spotted cat, Jungle cat, Leopard cat, Sloth bear, Small Indian civet, Asian palm civet, Wild boar, and Honey badger. Herbivores that were recorded include spotted deer, Sambar deer, Indian muntjac, Indian spotted chevrotain, Gaur, Nilgai, and Four-horned antelope.
The national park has populations of both Rhesus macaques, which are usually found north of the Godavari River, and Bonnet macaques, which are typically found south of the Godavari River. Gray langurs can also be found inside the national park. Water buffaloes were recorded in the area during the British colonial period.
The national park was recognized as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area by BirdLife International in 2016. Some endangered, vulnerable, and near threatened bird species reported include Black-bellied tern, Pale-capped pigeon, Yellow-throated bulbul, Oriental darter, Pallid harrier, Great Thick-knee, River lapwing, River tern, Malabar pied hornbill, and Alexandrine parakeet.
Some tropical moist forest bird species sighted include Black-throated munia, Indian scimitar babbler, Jerdon's nightjar, Malabar trogon, and Malabar whistling thrush. A subspecies of Abbott's babbler, named after ornithologist K. S. R. Krishna Raju, was spotted near the edges of the national park.
The Indian golden gecko, which is found only in the Eastern Ghats, was reported in this national park. King cobras were seen in and around the protected area.