Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary

Kaundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest area located near Palamaner in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, in the Eastern Ghats. Established in 1990 and covering about 357 square kilometres, it is the only sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh with a resident population of Asian elephants. The sanctuary features dry deciduous forest, thorn scrub and riverine valleys along the Kaundinya and Kaigal rivers, supporting diverse flora and fauna.

Visitors can expect a dry deciduous forest landscape with undulating hills, thorn scrub, and valleys formed by the Kaundinya and Kaigal rivers in the Eastern Ghats. The sanctuary is known for sightings of Asian elephants, along with deer, wild boar, jackals, sloth bears, and diverse birdlife. Facilities are basic, with forest tracks, watch towers and a forest rest house. Exploration is typically by guided jeep or trek with prior forest department permission, focused on wildlife viewing, birdwatching and nature photography.

Declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1990 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to protect the habitat of Asian elephants migrating from adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Covering about 357.60 sq km, it was subsequently included under Project Elephant as the state's key elephant reserve in the Eastern Ghats.