Context: The Blackbuck population at Vallanadhas risen to 300, thanks to habitat restoration under the Tamil NadBiodiversity Conservation and Greening Project.
- About the Sanctuary:
- Location: Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) district, Tamil Nadu. It is a scrub forest (not a typical thick jungle).
- Uniqueness: It was specifically created to protect the Blackbuck in South India.
- Basics of Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra):
- Conservation Status: IUCN - Least Concern; Wildlife Protection Act 1972 - Schedule I (highest protection).
- State Animal: Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Habitat: They are "open forest" animals; they avoid dense bushes and prefer open grasslands.
- Subject Reference:
- GS Paper III: Environment and Biodiversity (Protected Areas, Conservation of Species).
- Prelims: Location-based questions, IUCN status, and Wildlife Protection Act schedules
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
