A new protected area, the 906 km2 Sri Malai Mahadeswara Swamy Wildlife Sanctuary, was declared in May 2013 in Karnataka, southern India. This Sanctuary is part of the Eastern Ghats, where conservation-dependent species such as the tiger, wild dog, Asian elephant and four-horned antelope can be found. The new wildlife sanctuary lies between the 539 km2 Biligirirangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve and 1,027 km2 Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Guttiyalattur, and North and South Baragur multiple-use forests in the state of Tamil Nadu lie adjacent to the Sanctuary. With a total area of c. 9,600 km2 this contiguous landscape of protected areas and multiple-use forests is now the largest protected area network in India. The forests in the new Sanctuary are also an important catchment area for the Cauvery and Palar rivers. Being contiguous with Tiger Conservation Landscape-67 in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, this area is classified as a Tiger Survey Landscape (an area where the status of tigers is unknown but there is some reason to believe that tigers may still be present) for which data are insufficient, thus making it a priority area for tiger conservation. The area has potential to become a source of tigers in the future if suitable protection is accorded. The notification of the Sri Malai Mahadeswara Swamy Wildlife Sanctuary came about through the support of political leaders and the efforts of B.K. Singh, Dipak Sarmah and R. Sridharan, representing the government, and Sanjay Gubbi and Poornesha H.C. representing civil society.
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