Red Sanders falls back in IUCN’s ‘endangered’ category

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Last Updated12/01/2022

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) has recently categorised the Red Sanders (or Red Sandalwood) again into the ‘endangered’ category in its Red List.
It was classified as ‘near threatened’ in 2018.

Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is known for their rich hue and therapeutic properties
It is very high in demand across Asia, particularly in China and Japan, for use in cosmetics and medicinal products as well as for making furniture, woodcraft and musical instruments.
Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that a tonne of red sanders costs anything between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore in the international market.
It is an Indian endemic tree species, with a restricted geographical range in the Eastern Ghats.
The species is endemic to a distinct tract of forests in Andhra Pradesh.
Red Sanders usually grow in the Red Soil and hot and dry climate.

It is in high demand for furniture production, diabetes therapy, and inflammation reduction.
Wood is also used to make red dye in India.
Red sanders are said to be able to absorb radioactive radiation, however, this is unproven.
However, its principal function is aesthetic and ornamental.
It also produces Santaline dye, which is used to colour foods and pharmaceutical preparations, as well as extracts from the tree bark and wood, which have a variety of therapeutic qualities.

Illicit felling for smuggling, forest fires, cattle grazing and other anthropogenic threats.
Location: Andhra Pradesh is the major target for traffickers, particularly the Seshachalam hills and the Nalgonda woods.
Agents recruit individuals from Tamil Nadu, particularly from regions like Tiruvannamalai and the tribal settlements of Javadhu Malai, to cut down these trees (Javadi Hills).