Ramanagara is also known as Closepet, It is also the headquarters of Ramanagara district. It is approximately 50 km southwest of Bangalore. It has an average elevation of 747 meters (2450 feet). The Anna-Thama rock formation on the left and Handi-Gundi betta on the right side of Ramanagara. It is also famous for the huge rocky outcrops. As per the 2001 census, Ramanagara had a population of 79,365. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Ramanagara has an average literacy rate of 63%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 67%, and female literacy is 58%. In Ramanagara, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Ramanagara is famous for its silk market, one of the biggest in India, giving it the other name of Silk town.
Back ground...Ramadevara betta has been a home to critically endangered vulture species for a long time. Recently, 15 long billed Vultures were observed (by the Iruliga community) on the ledges of the steep and high rocky cliffs in Ramadevarabetta State Forest. These Vultures, according to the Bombay Natural History Society, appear to be the only known and last surviving population of the species in inland southern India. The survival of this small population of vultures gives hope that its entire population may not have been lost in this part of the country. It is quite possible that this isolated population has been able to resist the effects of agents that have almost decimated the species elsewhere or may not have been exposed to the same.
Long billed Vulture (Gyps indicus), showed a shocking decline over the last one and half decades, vulture populations have dropped by over 90 per cent with population losses of more than 98 per cent reported in many areas. These vultures (three species of Gyps vultures namely, the Oriental White-backed G. bengalensis, Long-billed vulture G. indicus, and Slender-billed G. tenuirostris) are now listed as critically endangered species. This catastrophic decline has been linked to kidney failure, resulting from the use of the anti-inflammatory drug “diclofenac” on domestic livestock. However, the cause of such a colossal loss of vulture population is still being debated.
Threat to vulture...Big business magnet groups are building resort just close to long billed vulture nesting area. They are taken six acres land to construct resort. District authority of Ramanagara given green signal to build resort with out considering the long billed vulture birds’ life. Vultures are known as scavengers in the ecosystem. Critically endangered long billed vulture leaving happily only on Ramanagara hills in southern India as per the source of Bombay Natural History Society. If they build resort in Ramadevarabetta state forest, we will loose long billed vulture.
Nesting area...Ramadevarabetta State Forest, spread over 33 Square kilo meter, comprises of three hill complexes, the largest being the Ramadevarabetta complex, with six peaks of varying heights (highest 934 m). This is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre, with a temple on top of the hill and is frequented by devotees from surrounding villages and towns and even distant cities.
Our demands...Stop constructing resort on the site of long billed vulture habitat even resort is not giving any support or livelihoods to local communities. Ramadevara betta given status of critical habitat for long billed vulture birds
Declare Ramadevara State Forest in to long billed vulture wild life sanctuary, Make separate management plan for long billed vulture conservation.
Make forest rights committee including localities to protect long billed vulture under Forest Rights Act
Stop all illegal activities including de-forestation, poaching, and mining in the Ramadevara state forest, forest department should involve local Iruliga community in the conservation of entire state forest.
