Andhra Pradesh Forest Department


Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is one of the administrative divisions of Government of Andhra Pradesh. It is headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Head of Forest Force, an Indian Forest Service officer. The primary function of this department is protection, conservation and management of forests in the Andhra Pradesh State. The Forest Department is organised into 12 territorial circles and 43 divisions. One Senior Officer of the rank of Deputy Conservator of Forests functions as Planning and Extension Officer in each district.
WWW forests.ap.gov.in

Flora and fauna

Andhra Pradesh State is bestowed with two river systems of Krishna and Godavari. Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board is a statutory body that maintains and keeps balance of biodiversity in ecosystems, landscapes, heritage sites. The forests in the state can broadly be divided into four major biotic provinces.
  1. Deccan Plateau - 53%
  2. Central Plateau - 35%
  3. Eastern Highland - 11%
  4. East Coastal Plains - 1%
The vegetation found in the state is largely of dry deciduous type with a mixture of Teak, and species of the genera Terminalia, Dalbergia, Pterocarpus, Anogeissus etc. Fauna includes Tiger, Panther, Wolf, Wild Dog, Hyena, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Black Buck, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Nilgai, Cheetal, Sambar and a number of Birds and Reptiles.
The state is a possessor of some rare and endemic plants like Cycas beddomei, Pterocarpus santalinus, Terminalia pallida, Syzygium alternifolium, Shorea talura, Shorea tumburgia, Psilotum nudum etc. Among its rich fauna, the Double Banded or the Jerdon’s courser, the golden gecko, and the gray slender loris are some of the rare and endemic fauna of the state.

Protected areas

Wild Life SanctuariesArea
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary235.70
Kolleru Bird Sanctuary308.55
Kondakarla Ava Bird Sanctuary1.3
Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary194.81
Nagarjunasagar Srisailam (Project Tiger)3568.00
Rolla Padu6.14
Gundla Brahmeswara Wildlife Sanctuary1194.00
Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary464.42
Nelapattu4.58
Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary500.00
Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary 357.60
Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary1030.85
Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary70.70

Zoo parkLocationArea
Sri Venkateswara Zoological ParkTirupati5,532 acres
Indira Gandhi Zoological ParkVisakhapatnam625 acres