About Mudumalai tiger reserve
- The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, also a declared tiger reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills (Blue Mountains), in Nilgiri District, about 150 kilometres north-west of Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu.
- Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is situated in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris District, at the crossroads of three states: Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India’s first, which includes Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, Mukurthi National Park, and Silent Valley in the south.
- The protected area is home to several endangered and vulnerable species including Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, gaur and Indian leopard.
- There are at least 266 species of birds in the sanctuary, including critically endangered Indian white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture.
- The Western Ghats Nilgiri Sub-Cluster of 6,000 square kilometres including all of Mudumalai National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.
- The Moyar river flows downstream into the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and is the natural line of division between Mudumalai and Bandipur Sanctuary.
- The Reserve has tall grasses referred to as “Elephant Grass”, timber species like Teak, Rosewood.
Flora
- The Reserve is home to tall grasses known as “Elephant Grass.”
- Giant bamboo, as well as important timber species such as Teak, Rosewood, and others
- There are many native flora species.
Fauna
- Tiger and Asian Elephant are the two flagship species.
- Other animals include the Indian Gaur, Spotted Deer, Common Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Wild Dog, and Jungle Cat.
Birds
- More than 260 different bird species can be found in the reserve.
- Mudumalai is home to 8% of all bird species found in India.
- Rare birds such as the Malabar grey hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, and Malabar laughing thrush are included.
Source: Indian Express
