Red Sanders:
It is observed that busy Tirupati pilgrimage route makes Red Sanders smuggling easy in south Andhra Pradesh.
- Red Sanders Pterocarpus santalinus, or Red Sandalwood, is an endemic tree species with distribution restricted to the Eastern Ghats of India.
- It usually grows in rocky, degraded and fallow lands with Red Soil and a hot and dry climate.
- ‘Santalin’ is a natural dye obtained from its heartwood and is used in pharmaceutical preparations, food articles, leather, and textile industries.
- Wood can be used for the perfume industry, medicinal purposes.
- It has been under heavy threat due to its high commercial value, leading to rampant smuggling.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix II
- The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule IV
