Nestled along the river Manjira, Pocharam Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Nizamabad and Medak district of Andhra Pradesh. It was set-up in 1952 by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Previously, the sanctuary area used to be a hunting reserve of the Nizams. The sanctuary is named after the famed Pocharam Lake.

Flora
Forest type: southern tropical mixed dry deciduous forests Trees and plant species: Eichornia, Hydrilla, Babul prosopis, Vallisneria and Pistia.

Fauna
Land animals: Leopard, sambar, panther, wolf, chinkara, four horned antelope, nilgai, marsh crocodiles, monitor lizards, cobra, fresh water turtles, etc.

Avian Fauna
Pochards, cormorants, open billed storks, painted storks, teals, coots, black and white ibises, herons, etc.

Getting there
The nearest airport and railway station are located at Hyderabad, which is nearly 115 km away. The closest bus terminals are at Medak (nearly 15 km) and Macherla (about 29 km away). Tourist Information Visitors can stay at the Inspection bungalows at Sadasivapet and Sangareddy. Alternatively the tourists can find accommodation at the Forest Guest House situated at Medak. One can also find different staying options at Medak.
Trekking and bird watching are major tourist activities here. Boats for bird watching trips to the sanctuary are available at Sadasivapet and Sangaredd.
Deserted old Nizam Bungalow, Gottam Gutta, Medak Church, Manjira Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary and Medak fort are some of the popular places of interest for the tourists in and around Pocharam sanctuary.

Additional Information
Pocharam Forest & Wildlife Sanctuary, Trail Rd, Mirgudpalle, Telangana-502113, Andhra Pradesh. Area: 130 sq km; Average temperatures: 46°C (summer) & 6°C (winter)
Ideal visiting time: October to July
Timings: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
© Arked