The Coringa region near Chollangi village in the East Godavari district was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1978. This estuarine region has the second-largest stretch of mangrove forests in the country and is home to 24 mangrove species and over 120 bird species. The highest concentration of fishing cats, listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, has also been recorded from this sanctuary. Other globally significant species from this region include the Olive Ridley turtle, smooth-coated otter, white-backed vulture and long-billed vulture, among others. However, owing to the lack of proper planning and poor outreach, the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary had been largely side-lined in the tourism map of Andhra Pradesh. The project has worked towards bridging this gap by supporting the Forest Department in developing Coringa as an ecotourism destination. This intervention has resulted in a 16-fold increase in the revenue of the sanctuary, which is being redirected for the management of the sanctuary and support to the local community. In order to promote a community-based eco-tourism model, the project has trained nearly 40 youths from the coastal villages to act as nature guides. To build on this, in 2017 the Forest Department trained five local youths in mangrove and wildlife interpretation with support from the project, who have since been recruited as nature guides for the sanctuary.
“ To us, the mangroves in this sanctuary are not just a tourist attraction; they are much more valuable.�
Forging Partnerships for Mainstreaming Biodiversity
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