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Senna Spectabilis Invasion
September 7 , 2025
16 hrs 0 min
21
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- Senna spectabilis, a fast-growing tree, was introduced from South America in the 1980s.
- It has invaded the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, disrupting native flora and wildlife habitats.
- Kerala’s Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary recorded India’s first science-based, community-led eradication effort.
- Forest First Samithi signed a MoU with Karnataka to expand the removal to the DB Kuppe range in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.
- Tamil Nadu is evaluating similar removal plans, while other states like Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Maharashtra have reported early-stage Senna spread.
- Each Senna tree can produce up to 6,000 seeds per season, with seeds viable for nearly ten years and regrowth possible even from stripped stumps.
- A pilot project converted 6,000 tonnes of removed Senna biomass into paper pulp, though ecologists note full root removal is essential to prevent spread.
- A 2021 study by the Rufford Foundation found that Senna had occupied 23 per cent of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and the spread has since increased.
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