Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve

Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, located in the Nallamala hill ranges of Andhra Pradesh, is the largest tiger reserve in India, covering about 5,937 square kilometers across five districts including Kurnool, Prakasam, Guntur, Nandyal, and Mahabubnagar.

The reserve features diverse terrain with plateaus, ridges, deep valleys, and gorges, supporting tropical dry deciduous forests with undergrowth of bamboo and grass. It is named after the two major dams in the area—Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Srisailam Dam—with the Krishna River flowing through it for around 270 kilometers. Established as a tiger reserve in 1983, it includes the Rajiv Gandhi and Gundla Brahmeswaram wildlife sanctuaries.

The reserve hosts rich biodiversity including endangered species such as tigers, leopards, wolves, wild dogs, and various prey species like sambar, chital, and wild boar. It also supports diverse flora, including several endemic plants and medicinal species. The reserve’s mosaic of forests, water bodies, and varied topography provides a critical habitat for wildlife, making it a key conservation area as well as a place with cultural significance marked by ancient temples and archaeological sites.