Tiruppadaimarathur Conservation Reserve
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Little egret
LocationThiruppudaimaruthur
Nearest cityTirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates8°43′38″N 77°29′52″E / 8.72722°N 77.49778°E / 8.72722; 77.49778
Area0.0284 km2 (0.0110 sq mi)
Established14 February 2005
Governing bodyTamil Nadu Forest Department
Websitewww.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/cr_tcr.html

Tiruppadaimarathur Conservation Reserve is an IUCN Category V protected bird nesting area in the 2.84 hectares (7.0 acres) compound of Siva temple[1] in Thiruppudaimarudur village, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, South India. It was declared 14 February 2005 and is the first Conservation Reserve to be established in India. The reserve is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.[2]

Management

The village community and Tamil Nadu Forest Department manage the area. Community participation and public support is crucial for any conservation effort to succeed. Amendments to the Wild life Protection Act in 2003, provided a mechanism to provide recognition and legal backing to community initiated efforts in wildlife protection. It provides for a flexible system wherein wildlife conservation is achieved without compromising community needs. Tiruppadaimarathur Conservation Reserve is the result of the village community coming forward to protect the birds nesting in their village and acting for declaration of a conservation reserve. This reserve was declared by Government of Tamil Nadu G.O.Ms. No.17 Environment and Forests Dept.[3]

Fauna and flora

Painted stork

Over 400 little egrets, pond heron and near threatened painted stork nest in this grove of 20 huge, century-old maruthu, mahwa, neem and illuppai trees and feed in the many agricultural fields, a few ponds and the Thamirabarani River adjacent to it. Pond heron and egrets also nesting in backyards of few village houses, while painted storks are only around the temple. Spot-billed pelicans also come for refuge but are not nesting.[3]

References

  1. ^ http://www.indiantemples.com/Tamilnadu/mahatiru.html[failed verification]
  2. ^ Tamil Nadu Forest Department (2007) Wild Biodiversity, retrieved 9/9/2007 Tiruppadaimarathur Conservation Reserve
  3. ^ a b "Tiruppadai-Maradur". Conservation Reserves. Wildlife Institute of India. 2008. Archived from the original on 15 December 2005. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
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