History Of The Seshachalam Hills

The Seshachalam Hills are located in southeastern India, specifically, the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh. It is filled with lots of biodiversity and has numerous rare plant species. Several animal species have been found as well, including the Asian palm civet, mongoose, mouse deer, porcupine, sambar deer, and sloth bear. Predators are known to roam the area, like the hyena, leopard, jackal, and more.

A beautiful capture of the foliage in the Seshachalam Hills. Courtesy: Google Images

Other endangered and vulnerable species like the Indian wild dog, four-horned antelope, and grey jungle fowl have been found as well. More than 178 species of bird have been identified in this region. There are several cameras that can identify and photograph animals during the day and during the night. This has helped to identify several species that were never known to be in the area until photographs were captured and determined that rare fauna and flora did indeed live in the Seven Hills of Tirumala.

A leopard is seen roaming the landscape, just one of many examples of rare fauna living in the Seshachalam Hills. Courtesy: Google Images

It also has large reserves of red sandalwood, which is used for medicines, soaps, and rituals. There are seven hills, and there is also a famous temple. It contains a natural rock arch formation too. In 2010, the Seshachalam Hills was declared the 17th Biosphere Reserve in India. What is a “Biosphere Reserve”, you ask? Well, it is an “international designation by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination of both”, as stated by UNESCO itself.

By: Ahana Raghavan