<h3>Summary</h3>
This map provides the distribution and density of Lantana camara in Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary as in 2002.

<h3>Description</h3>
Lantana distribution in Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary along with the density (as in 2002).

<h3>Methodology</h3>
The distribution of Lantana as shown here, has been delineated based on visual estimations from field surveys done in BRT Wildlife Sanctuary.

<h3>Lantana Distribution in BRT</h3>
Lantana camara is an invasive species and has covered large areas in India as well as Australia. It colonizes new areas when it's seeds are dispersed by birds. Once it reaches an area, Lantana camara spreads quickly. It coppices so well that efforts to eradicate it have completely failed. It is resistant to fire, and quickly grows in and colonizes burnt areas. In BRT too, the spread of Lantana has been a serious issue. The local tribes living in BRT use Lantana to make furniture, thus reducing its spread to an extent.

<h3>Weblink</h3>
A few external links for BRT Wildlife Sanctuary
http://www.atree.org/conliv_brt.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biligirirangan_Hills
http://www.kalpavriksh.org/f11/edubrt
http://www.indiawildliferesorts.com/wildlife-sanctuaries/br-hills-sanctuary.html
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/country/in/in_8.htm

<h3>Reference</h3>
Srinivasan, U. and Prashanth N. S. (2006): Preferential routes of bird dispersal to the Western Ghats in India: An explanation for the avifaunal peculiarities of the Biligirirangan Hills. Indian Birds 2 (4): 114–119.

Ramesh, B. R. (1989) Flora of BR Hills French Institute of Pondicherry

Ganeshaiah, K. N., R. Uma Shaanker and K. S. Bawa. (1998) Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary: Natural history, biodiversity and conservation. ATREE and VGKK, Bangalore

Srinivasa, T. S., S. Karthikeyan. and J. N. Prasad. (1997) Faunal Survey of the Biligirirangan Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. Merlin Nature Club, Bangalore.

Islam, Z. and A. R. Rahmani. (2004) Important Bird Areas in India: Priority Areas for Conservation. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, BirdLife International, UK and Oxford University Press ,Mumbai

Aravind, N. A., D. Rao, and P. S. Madhusudan. (2001) Additions to the Birds of Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India. Zoos’ Print Journal 16 (7): 541-547.

Srinivasan, U. and Prashanth N.S. (2005): Additions to the Avifauna of the Biligirirangans. Indian Birds. 1(5): 104

Somasundaram, H. N. and Kibe, R. V. (1990) Soliga – the Tribe and its Stride, Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra, BR Hills

Monica Jackson (1994) Going back. Banyan Books. pp.205

Hiremath, Ankila; Bharath Sundram. (2005). The Fire-Lantana Cycle Hypothesis in Indian Forests. Conservation and Society.

Picture showing Lantana
credit: Ramesh Kannan, ATREE

Local tribes making furnitures from Lantana
credit: Ramesh Kannan, ATREE