- Under Operation Stripes, an adult male tiger named ‘Explorer’ was reintroduced in Papikonda National Park.
- Papikonda National Park Location: East Godavari district and West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, along the banks of the Godavari River.
- Physical Features
- Terrain: Rugged landscape marked by steep slopes, hills, and deep valleys.
- Mountains: The park contains 62 named mountains. (Highest point: Devara Konda, Most prominent peak: Verala Konda)
- Recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
- Vegetation: Tropical moist deciduous forests, mixed with semi-evergreen and dry deciduous patches.
- Major Flora: Teak, rosewood, sandalwood, bamboo, eucalyptus, sal, mahua, pterocarpus, terminalia, and cassia.
- Fauna: Key wildlife species include Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Sloth bear and Dhole. The region is also known for a unique dwarf goat breed – “kanchu mekha.”
