Fauna of Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary Maharastra

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Information on diversity and distribution of faunal resources at habitat, local and regional scale is the key to biodiversity conservation, thus survey, collection and inventorisation of faunal resources becomes imperative to generate baseline data on genetic, species and their macro and microhabitat in ecosystem diversity. The local database thus generated helps in developing a regional / national database on biodiversity, which in turn facilitate compilation of information on distributional pattern of faunal wealth. Further, it also lends hand in developing models for conservation strategies of endemic and threatened fauna. Since conservation of the entire range of species is neither practical nor possible, such preliminary studies help in identifying the keystone and umbrella species. The protection and conservation of such species ensures the survival of all the species in the area. Keeping this in view the inventorisation of the faunal resources of Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary was undertaken by the scientists of Western Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Pune, during the period 2007-2010 as part of series on faunal resources of Protected Areas.

Location and Topography: Erstwhile Dajipur Wildlife Sanctuary was renamed as Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary by bringing more area under its fold vide notification no WLP 1085/ CR-588/V/F-5 dated 16 September, 1985. The Sanctuary is situated between 16 15:00 to 16 29'54" N latitude and 73° 54'00" to 74° 00′00" E longitudes at an altitude range of 530 msl to 1033 msl and falls in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra State. The Sanctuary encompasses the total area of 351.73 sq. km, of which 115.73 sq. km. is Core Zone and 49.50 sq. km is Eco- restoration Zone and 96.03 sq. km. as Developmental Zone. It is classified under biogeographic province 5B of Western Ghats Mountain region. (Pande, 2005 & Rodgers and Panwar, 1985). (Map-1).

Climate: The temperature range varying between ca. 41° in summer and ca. 4° C in winter. Total annual rainfall ranges from 6000 mm on the west ridge to 4000 mm on the gentler slopes of the east Geology and Soils: Rugged terrain along the main Western Ghats ridge and western part of the Ghats gradually flattens as it moves towards the east due to broadening of spur heads Geological foundation is the Deccan Trap Soil in the west is predominantly lateritic and in east it is red and yellowish mixed, on gentler slopes it is grayish green loam.

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