Context: 

The Uppiliya Naicker community is celebrating Maasi Magam festival at a 200-year-old temple inside Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). 

Maasi Magam Festival 2024

• The temple (Aadhi Karuvannarayar Bomma Deviyar temple), which is said to be over 200 years old, is Located in a forest within the Bhavanisagar Range of the Sathyamangalam Division in STR.
• Recently, the Madras High Court has directed the Forest Department to regulate the festival proceedings to minimise wildlife disturbance in the tiger reserve.

About Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

• The Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve was notified in 2013, encompassing forests of the Erode and Sathyamangalam Divisions.

• Location of STR:

• • It is located in the Erode District of Tamilnadu, within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, at the confluence of the Eastern and Western Ghats.

Corridor: The Mudumalai – Mangalapatti – Thengumarada – Karachikorai – Bannari is an important corridor (The Great Moyar Corridor) that links the Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserves.

Habitat:

• Vegetation: Consists of ‘Southern Tropical dry thorn forests’, mixed deciduous forests, semi-evergreen forests, and Riparian forests.
• Flora: Albizziaamara Chloroxylonswictenia, Gyrocarpusjacquini, Neem, Tamarind, Sandalwood, Randi dumetorum, Zizyphus and associates.
• Fauna: Elephant, Tiger, Panther, Sloth bear, Gaur, Black Buck, Spotted deer, Wild boar, Black napped hare, Common langur, Nilgiri langur, Striped neck mongoose and Bonnet macaque.
• Tiger Status: 

News Source: The Hindu 

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