Queen of rain no more: How Karnataka’s Agumbe lost to little-known Udupi towns

Subject: Geography

Section: Indian Geography

Agumbe Rainforest Complex (ARC):

Located in Shivamogga district of Karnataka
Known as ‘Cherrapunji of Karnataka’ for its phenomenal rainfall of more than 8000 mm during monsoon.
For the past two years Agumbe is receiving less rainfall, and some towns in Udupi district of karnataka are receiving more rainfall than Agumbe.
- Nadpal,Mudradi and Hulikal (hassan district) have got more rain than ARC and were closely followed by Amagaon in Belagavi district.
Rain in Agumbe feeds hundreds of water bodies that nurture scores of rivers originating in the Western Ghats.
Agumbe rainforests: World’s only natural habitat of the King Cobra.
- It is approximately 55 km from the Arabian Sea. As part of the Western Ghats mountain range, Agumbe lies in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and holds one of the last surviving low-land rainforests of India. A Medicinal Plants Conservation Area (MPCA) was established in 1999 to protect the important medicinal plants of the region.
- It comprises a large area of forests from Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, Kudremukh National Park, Kodachadri and Mookambika hill ranges and reserve forests around Kundapur, Shankaranarayana, Hosanagara, Sringeri and Thirthahalli.
- These regions foster thick bamboo groves, which are endemic to the Western Ghats. These groves need more rain to grow to such girths that can house the nests of King Cobras.