TIRUPATI: An ideal getaway for nature lovers is Mamandur forest near Tirupati. The ecotourism region is run by a community led by the forest department. Mamandur forest homes are full of nature lovers looking to escape the crowds and mental stress of urban living. The forest is a blessing for animal lovers. One can detect wild animals like wild dogs, spotted wanted and others. Birdwatchers make a beeline for the area that is filled with beautiful birds of all species.
Birds like gray junglefowl, jungle bush quail, painted spurfowl, robin-robin, red-vented bulbul are seen together with other birds. Nocturnal birds such as Indian nightjars, owls and other rare species are also seen in this region. By the way, the Mamandur guesthouse was built for Kenneth Anderson, a hunter who came to Mamandur at the behest of the village chief in the 1920s to kill a tiger eating men in the area, according to B. Balasubramanyam (Trekking Balu), secretary of the Organization of Nature and Cultural Heritage of Tirupati.
K. Karthik Sai, popularly known as ‘Birdman’ Karthik, is a wildlife researcher and says the place is a paradise for birdwatchers and people from neighboring states often visit the place. D. Phani Kumar Naidu, DFO Tirupati, says: “The government is very interested in developing ecotourism, we have generated jobs for local tribes through ecotourism in this area, we are now working on a safari track in Mamandur and will be completed soon Safari track will be an added attraction and attract tourists from all over. “
