RED SANDERS

About:

• Red sanders is a variety of
  
  
• Scientific name: Pterocarpus santalinus.
  
  
• Common name: Red Sandalwood, Almug, Red Sanders, Saunderswood.
  
  
• IUCN status: Near Threatened.
  
  
• Habitat: It is found in dry deciduous forests.
  
  
• Distribution:
  • It is an Indian endemic tree species, having a restricted geographic range in the Eastern Ghats in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
    
    
  • Around 90% of the red sanders is found in the Palakonda and Seshachalam hill ranges of Cuddapha-Chittoor Districts of Andhra Pradesh.
    
    
  
  
  

Smuggling:

• Red sanders smuggling is rampant due to its huge demand in China, Japan and South-East Asia for medicine, dye-making and manufacturing furniture, musical instruments, chess-sets.
  
  
• Steps taken to prevent smuggling –
  • It is internationally protected under CITES (convention on international trade in endangered species) Appendix II since 1995.
    
    
  • In 2014, AP government formed RSATSF (Red-Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task-Force).
    
    
  • Operation Sesha has been launched by directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) by involving 17 countries.