The largest tiger reserve in the country, Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Sanctuary is located near Nagarjunasagar Reservoir in
Andhra Pradesh. It is spread over the districts of
Guntur,
Prakasam,
Kurnool,
Mahabubnagar and
Nalgonda, and covers an area of 3568 sq km. The sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve in 1983.
The prime inhabitants are langur, macaque, tiger, jackal,
Bengal fox, leopard, jungle cat, wild dog, wolf, sloth bear, otter,
striped hyena, wild boar, muntjac, sambhar, spotted deer and flying squirrel. Among the reptiles are soft-shelled turtles, monitor lizard, python and marsh crocodile. In addition, there are over 150 species of birds such as grey-horn bill and pea foul.
The vegetation here is dry deciduous mixed forest with deep valleys on its sides. The Krishna River, which cuts through the gorge of Nallamalai hills, flows through the reserve over a distance of 130 km. The climate is hot and dry during summers.
A temple is situated within the sanctuary, and guest houses and cottages are available for comfortable stay. October to May is the best time to visit the sanctuary.
The place is well-linked with state buses and the nearest railhead and airport are at Hyderabad, 130 km away. At a distance of 29 km is the nearby town, Macherla.
