Sri Venkateswara National Park is a national park and biosphere reserve located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. The park covers an area of 353 square kilometers (136 square miles). It is famous for its many waterfalls, such as Talakona, Gundalakona, and Gunjana. In 2010, the Government of India designated the Seshachalam Hills as a biosphere reserve, which includes this national park.

Geography

The National Park is located in the Eastern Ghats and covers the Seshachalam hills in Tirupati district. The land rises from 150 to 1,130 meters (490 to 3,710 feet). The area has rolling hills and valleys covered with forests. Most of the rain comes from the northeast monsoon, with some rain from the southwest monsoon. The plants in the region include both dry and moist deciduous forest types.

The average rainfall in the area is 900 millimeters (35 inches). Temperatures in the region typically range from 12 to 44 degrees Celsius (54 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit).

Flora and fauna

The vegetation in the national park includes dry deciduous mixed forests, with areas of moist deciduous forests in the valleys. The area is home to about 1,500 types of vascular plants, which belong to 174 families. Many of these plants are found only in this region. Some rare and unique plant species, such as red sanders, Shorea talura, Shorea tumbugaia, Terminalia pallida, sandalwood, Cycas beddomei, Syzygium alternifolium, and Psilotum nudum, grow in this area.

About 178 bird species have been identified in the national park. One of these is the yellow-throated bulbul, which is at risk worldwide. The grey-fronted green pigeon, a bird typically found in the Himalayas and Western Ghats, is common in these forests. The critically endangered Oriental white-backed vulture also lives in the park. Other birds found here include the large hawk-cuckoo, blue-faced malkoha, yellow-browed bulbul, Indian scimitar-babbler, and Loten's sunbird.

In 1984, the Asian elephant, which had not been seen in Andhra Pradesh for nearly 300 years, returned to the southern part of Chittoor district. In 1993, a group of five elephants moved to the Chamala Valley in Tirumala forests within the national park.

Among predators, leopards and wild dogs are common. Other predators include golden jackals, Indian foxes, small Indian civets, and jungle cats. Sloth bears are often seen. The main hoofed animals are sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, barking deer, four-horned antelope, and wild boar. The nocturnal slender loris may be common but is rarely seen. Other interesting species include the Indian giant squirrel and tree shrew.

Among reptiles, the most notable species is the gliding lizard, which lives in deep forested valleys. Another important reptile is the Indian golden gecko. This species was originally found in rocky ravines in the Eastern Ghats and was rediscovered in the same area in 1985.

• Pterocarpus santalinus (red sandalwood) in Talakona forests of Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) at Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Axis axis (spotted deer) at deerpark on Tirumala hills in Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Ratufa indica (Indian giant squirrel) at Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Semnopithecus priam (gray langur) at Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Sus scrofa (wild boar) at Sri Venkateswara National Park

Threats

The main threats to the national park are construction and quarrying. The Andhra Pradesh State Highway Project is working on improving highways in the state of Andhra Pradesh. This includes building the Warangal-Pollacolu road, which is near the western edge of the national park. Another project is the construction of the Kapil Teertham Dam inside the national park by the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. These projects may affect the habitat and wildlife in the sanctuary. Regular forest fires are also an ongoing threat to the biodiversity and balance of the ecosystem in the park.