Why is it in the news?
Smuggling concerns raised along Tirupati pilgrimage route in Andhra Pradesh.
Category: Environment
Important Points:
● Scientific name: Pterocarpus santalinus
● Endemic to Eastern Ghats of India
● Grows in red soil under hot and dry climate
● Slow-growing; matures in 25–40 years
● Produces natural dye ‘Santalin’ from heartwood
● Used in pharmaceuticals, textiles and perfumery
● Fire-hardy and drought-resistant
● IUCN Status: Endangered
● CITES: Appendix II
● Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule IV