The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park Tamil nadu

The largest and well preserved sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, lies in the Western Ghats south of the Palghat Gap, better known as Anaimalais (Mountain of Elephants). With an area of 958 sq.KM, it is rich in flora and fauna.This protected area constitutes the most important watershed for the agricultural economy and power supply. Major reservoirs like Parambikulam, Aliyar, Thirumurthi, Upper Aliyar, Kadambarai, Sholayar and Amaravathi are fed by the perennial rivers which originate from the Sanctuary.

The tribal communities living in the sanctuary are Kadar, Malasar, Malai Malasar, Muduvar, Pulayar and Eravalar. They participate in the management as Forest watchers and Antipoaching Watchers. The Anamalais rise from foothills at the height of 300 m to Topslip-Parambikulam Plateau at 800m and to the Valparai Plateau, between 1000 and 1250 m. The elevation range includes an array of habitats ranging from dry thorn forests in the low foothills to semi-evergreen stretches to grass hills and evergreen shoals in Valparai. Forest types in this Reserve are: Tropical wet evergreen forest. Southern tropical moist deciduous forest Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest Southern Montane Wet Temperate Forest Southern tropical thorn Forest Dry Savannah Forest Southern Bamboo Forest Reeds. Sanctuary extremely diverse faunal population and several species are exclusive to this area. A wide variety of herbivores inhabit this Sanctuary including elephant, gaur, Sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, nilgiri tahr and wild boar. This is equally matched by carnivore diversity with Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog (Dhole), Indian Fox, Leopard-cat and Jungle cat. Primates are represented by bonnet macaque, common langur, nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque and slender loris. Other important mammals include the Sloth Bear, Small Indian civet, Toddy cat, Ruddy mongoose, Stripped-necked mongoose, Common Otter, Smooth Indian Otter, Nilgiri marten, Indian Flying fox squirrel, Indian Giant Squirrel, Dusky stripped squirrel, Flying squirrel, Black naped Indian Hare, Bandicoot Rat, Grey musk shrew, Indian Porcupine, Indian Pangolin. The Sanctuary is a birders’ paradise. Over 300 species of birds have been sighted. Apart from the Great Pied Hornbil-the flagship species, rare birds like the Frogmouth, Red-winged crested cuckoo are found here. Birds of prey like Crested Serpent Eagle, Spot-billied Eagle , Black Eagle, Crested Gohawk, Rufous bellied Eagle, Jerdon’s Baza, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Owl. Grey Jungle fowl, Painted Bush quail, Red Spurfowl, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, White-bellied Woodpecker, Alpine Swift, Brown-backed Needletail, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Dollar bird, Malabar Trogon, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Blue-bearded Bee eater, White bellied Treepie, White-bellied Shortwing, Wynad Laughingthrush, Hill Myna, Nilgir Flycatcher. Many species of flycatchers, Drongos, Treepies, Birds of prey, Thrushes, Warblers, Babblers, woodpeckers, Parakeets, Pigeons, Shrikes, Cuckoos, Swifts and Owls are also found here. Shortwing, Wynad Laughingthrush, Hill Myna, Nilgir Flycatcher. Many species of flycatchers, Drongos, Treepies, Birds of prey, Thrushes, Warblers, Babblers, woodpeckers, Parakeets, Pigeons, Shrikes, Cuckoos, Swifts and Owls are also found here.