Maha Shivaratri Crowd In Srisailam Impacts Wildlife Movement

The massive influx of devotees during Maha Shivaratri celebrations in Srisailam has reportedly led to the temporary displacement of wildlife, including tigers and a leopard, from parts of the Nallamala forest region, forest officials said. The annual pilgrimage to the hill shrine of Srisailam Temple draws lakhs of visitors, significantly increasing human movement through ecologically sensitive zones.

Srisailam lies within the Nagarjunasagar–Srisailam Tiger Reserve, one of India’s largest protected forest tracts and a critical habitat for the Bengal tiger. Officials monitoring animal movement through camera traps and field patrols observed unusual patterns coinciding with the surge in vehicular traffic, noise levels and nighttime activity associated with the festival.

Forest authorities indicated that while such displacement is typically temporary, sustained disturbance can affect animal behaviour, breeding cycles and prey movement. A leopard was reportedly sighted closer to peripheral habitations, a development experts attribute to habitat disturbance and the search for quieter territory during peak pilgrim movement.

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The Maha Shivaratri festival sees elaborate arrangements by the Andhra Pradesh government to manage crowds, ensure security and facilitate darshan. However, environmentalists have long flagged concerns over balancing religious tourism with wildlife conservation in the Nallamala forests, particularly during high-footfall events.

Officials stated that measures such as traffic regulation, restricted forest access and heightened patrolling are being implemented to minimise ecological impact. They added that post-festival monitoring would continue to assess wildlife movement and ensure that displaced animals return safely to their natural habitats once normalcy is restored.

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