Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve core closed till September 30 for tiger breeding season

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A pair of tigers near Srisailam in Nallamala forest during the breeding season. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

With the arrival of the first showers of the southwest monsoon, the Nallamala hill ranges are once again being handed back to their rightful rulers, to romance and replenish their critically endangered species.

Beginning Wednesday (July 1, 2026), the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has clamped its annual three-month ban across the core areas of the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR), drawing a curtain on human activity until September 30 to give the big cats an uninterrupted breeding season.

For the next 91 days, the roar of safari vehicles will be silenced. Trekking trails will be empty, and forest tracks that usually echo with pilgrims and tourists will belong almost entirely to wildlife. The seasonal restrictions apply to the NSTR forest divisions of Nandyal, Atmakur, Markapur and Giddalur, spanning large parts of Nandyal, Prakasam and Palnadu districts, and extending into the contiguous Nallamala forests of Telangana.

Pilgrims travelling to Sri Brahmaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Srisailam, however, will continue to have regulated access whenever required, so that devotional activity remains largely unaffected.

Calling the closure a vital conservation measure, NSTR Field Director C. Selvam told The Hindu that breeding tigers required complete tranquillity during courtship. “A male and female may stay together for several days, mating repeatedly while fiercely defending their territory. The movement of vehicles, trekkers, or tourists can interrupt this natural behaviour, increase stress, and even force breeding pairs to abandon preferred habitats. The restrictions are strictly in accordance with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA),” he said.

The three-month shutdown also means that popular eco-tourism destinations such as Ishtakameswari temple, Gundla Brahmeswaram, Bairluty Jungle Camp, Tummalabailu and Dornala-Srisailam forest