Male Mahadeshwar Hill Wild Life Sanctuary

Recently, honouring an acclaimed agricultural scientist KN Ganeshaiah’s contribution to the world of ecology, researchers have named a new species of gecko, endemic to Male Mahadeshwar hill Wild Life Sanctuary.

Details –

• Researchers named the new species as ‘Cnemaspis ganeshaiahi’ Or Ganeshaiah’s dwarf gecko.
• Previously, a grass species (Centotheca ganeshaiahiana) at the Saddle Peak National Park, North Andaman, a small cryptic ant species (Parasyscia ganeshaiahi) in decaying log or under rocks and a cycas species (Cycas uma-ganeshaiahi) were named after KN Ganeshaih.

About Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary –

• The MM Hills wildlife sanctuary is located in the state of Karnataka.
• It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2013.
• It is contiguous to BRT Tiger Reserve, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Flora — The forests of MM Hills wildlife sanctuary are principally of dry deciduous type degrading to scrub forest in the fringe areas, and are interspersed with patches of moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen and shola forests occurring at varying altitudes.
• Fauna — Animals including tiger, elephant, leopard, wild dog, bison, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer.