KURNOOL: The deep jungles of the famed Nallamala forest are to be opened to tourists with the Bairluti jungle camp becoming operational in Kurnool district. Mr Selvam, divisional forest officer at Atmakur, claims that the camp is promoting eco-tourism, where activities are “non-consumptive like bird watching, trekking, nature trails, river rafting and more importantly just watching the scenic beauty of the hills, valleys, meadows, and water bodies.”
The landscape of the Nall-amala is unique with deep valleys, gorges, grass land and forests. Nestled in the Nallamala Ranges of the Eastern Ghats, the Nagarj-unasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) is a repository of biodiversity and an abode for endangered flora and fauna. It is the largest tiger reserve in India, with an area of 3,727.82 sq km spread over Prakasam, Kurnool and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Two wildlife sanctuaries, the Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary constitute the Tiger Reserve area. Mr Selvam adds: “To elicit local support for wildlife and to impart conservation education to visitors, eco-tourism programmes involving local communities have been initiated in NSTR in three locations — Bairluty, Thummalabailu and Pacherla. Tribal archery and heritage walks are aimed to sensitise visitors to nature conservation and to empower the locals and improve their livelihood.”
