NEWS: Eight poachers were arrested following an operation in the Akkikandi forest range.

LOCATION & BACKGROUND

• State: Karnataka; Kodagu (Coorg) district.
• Located in the central Western Ghats, bordering Kerala.
• Established: 1987 under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Area: Approximately 105 sq. km.
• Named after Talakaveri, the origin of the Cauvery River.

KEY FEATURES

• Vegetation: Tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen forests + high-altitude shola grasslands.
• River: Protects the upper Cauvery catchment.
• Mammals: Tiger, elephant, leopard, lion-tailed macaque + otter.
• Birds: Malabar trogon, Nilgiri wood pigeon + great hornbill.
• Recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
• Part of the Western Ghats UNESCO World Heritage landscape.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Conserves endemic Western Ghats biodiversity.
• Protects the Cauvery catchment and water security.
• Maintains ecological connectivity across the Western Ghats.