Indira Gandhi National Park
Encyclopedia
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS&NP) is a protected area
named after Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi
who visited the park on October 7, 1961. It is often called "Topslip
", a village in the northeast corner of the park which is the main visitor center. This name is derived from the local 19th century practice of sliding Teak
timber
logs down from the hills. It is located in the Anaimalai Hills
of Pollachi
, Valparai
and Udumalpet
taluks of Coimbatore District
, Tamilnadu state, South India
.
The 108 square kilometres (41.7 sq mi) National Park is the core area of the 958 square kilometres (369.9 sq mi) Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, formerly called Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary. It was notified as a sanctuary in 1974 and 108 square kilometres (41.7 sq mi) of its unique habitats at 3 places - Karian Shola, Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley were notified as a National Park in 1989.
The Park and the Sanctuary is under consideration by UNESCO
as part of The Western Ghats World Heritage site
. The Sanctuary and the Palni Hills
in Dindigul District
form the Anaimalai Conservation Area.
The sanctuary has six administrative ranges, Pollachi: Range Head Quarters at Anaimalai Farm: 109.72 km², Vaalpaarai: Water Falls: 171.50 km², Ulandy: Top Slip: 75.93 km², Amaravathi: Amaravathi Nagar: 172.50 km², Udumalpet: 290.18 km². IGWLS is adjacent to Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
to the west. Manjampatti Valley
is a 110± km² drainage basin
at the eastern end of the park.
Altitude ranges between 340 metres (1,115.5 ft) to 2513 metres (8,244.8 ft) above sea level. There are several named peaks over 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) in the park, including:
Mean annual rainfall is between 500 millimetres (19.7 in) in the south western fringes to 4500 millimetres (177.2 in) on the north east.
people from six tribes of indigenous people living in 34 settlements. The tribes are the Kadar
s, Malasars, Malaimalasars, Pulaiyar
s, Muduvar
s and the Eravalars.
Threatened species
of mammal
s in the sanctuary include:
Animals of least concern
here include: Golden jackal
, Leopard cat
, Jungle cat
, Spotted deer
, Barking Deer
, Mouse Deer
, Wild Boar, Common langur, Bonnet macaque
, Asian Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet
, Indian Gray Mongoose
, Striped-necked Mongoose
, Ruddy Mongoose
, Grey Slender Loris, Indian Giant Squirrel
, Indian Crested Porcupine, Indian Pangolin
, Indian porcupine
and Three-striped Palm Squirrel
.
Over 250 species of birds have been identified in the Park . Some of the most important groups include, cormorant
s, duck
s, teal
, darter
, partridge
, quail
, jungle fowl, spurfowl, Indian peafowl
, parakeet
s, hornbill
s, barbet
s, drongo
s, oriole
s, shrike
s, warbler
s, Old World flycatcher
s, woodpecker
s, chloropsis, trogon
s, kingfisher
s, stork
s, egret
s, fish eagle
, hawk eagles, harriers
, falcon
s, kite
s, owl
s and nightjar
s.
It is home to 15 of 16 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats.
Reptiles include Toads, Spotted Leaping Frog
and Leith's Leaping Frog
, Black Torrent Frog
s, tree frog
s, Pythons, Cobra
s, Kraits, Viper
s, Grass Snake
s, Forest Cane Turtles, Travancore Tortoises, Flapshell Turtles
s, Star Tortoise
s, Flying lizard
s, Chameleon
s and Forest Lizards
.
315 species of butterflies belonging to five families have been identified in the Anaimalai Hills
. 44 are endemic to the Western Ghats.
granted approval in principle to inclusion of Indira Gandhi WLS and NP under Project Tiger in 2005. IGWS was declared a Project Tiger sanctuary in 2008. Continuance of Project Tiger’ in Anamalai Tiger Reserve for FY 2010/11, at the cost of Rs. 235.47 Lakh
s, was approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority
on 31 August 2010.
till felling of trees was stopped in 1972. The elephant camp has become a popular public attraction since 1976. There are 20 kumki
elephants at the Kozhikamudhi Elephant Camp in the IGWSNP. There are 13 tuskers (including three calves) and seven cow elephants. The names and ages of twelve of the working elephants are: Vijayalakshmi (58), Sarada (56), Nanjan (50), Kaleem (45), Paari (31), Kalpana (30), Venkatesh (28), Karthik (27), Bharani (25), Durga (13), Rajvardhan (11) and Suyambu (4).
In 1997, annual celebration of Elephant Pongal
at Top Slip was begun. For Pongal, several decorated elephants stand in front of the Pongal pot to mark the commencement of the celebration. The elephants are fed chakkarai pongal, banana and sugarcane while lined up behind a barricade, so tourists can have a close look. In 2011, Elephant Pongal was celebrated on January 18.
On February 24, 2011 the Kumki 'Karthik' was gored to death by two wild male elephants after it unchained itself in the camp and escaped into the forest. The elephant was in musth
and was in search of a female companion. It was gored by the two elephants possibly because 'Karthik' entered their habitation leading to a territirial conflict.
. There are over 2000 species plants of which about 400 species are of prime medicinal value. The diverse topography and rainfall gradient allow a wide variety of vegetation comprising a mix of natural and man-made habitats. The former includes wet evergreen forest
and semi-evergreen forest
, montane
shola-grassland
, moist deciduous
, dry deciduous, thorn forest
s and marsh
es. Tropical wet evergreen forest is found at an altitude of 600m to 1,600m.
Tropical montane forests
occur at higher elevations and are interspersed with montane grasslands, forming the shola-grassland complex. Much of the original evergreen forest now contains introduced teak
plantation
s. Bamboo
stands and reeds
occur in the natural forests. Tree cover is provided by Hopea parviflora
, Mesua ferrea
, Calophyllum tomentosum
, Vateria indica
, Cullenia excelsa
and Mangifera indica
, Machilus macrantha, Alstonia scholaris
, Evodia meliaefolia
, Ailanthus
and Malabaricum
and Eucalyptus grandis
. The area is home to Podocarpus wallichianus
, a rare South Indian species of conifer.
The IGWLS is managed by the Wildlife Warden (Wildlife Warden Office, 178 Meenkarai Road, Pollachi, Ph: 04259-225356) and falls within the administrative control of the Coimbatore Forest Circle headed by the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore.
Travel by road from Coimbatore to Pollachi (40 km) to the Wildlife Warden's Office for visitor permit and then by road to Top Slip (35 km), or to Udumalpet (40 km - Amaravathi and Udumalpet range), or to Vaalparai (65 km - Vaalparai and Manamboly range)
The ideal months to visit the Park are May to January. Entry time is between 6 am and 6 pm. The Park has a large tourist complex at Top Slip that houses many cottages, rooms, and dormitories for visitors. Visitors can get around the park by trekking and a safari van.
Protected areas of India
As of May 2004, the protected areas of India cover , roughly 4.95% of the total surface area.-Classification:India has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN:-National Park:...
named after Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
who visited the park on October 7, 1961. It is often called "Topslip
Topslip
Topslip is located above the from the sea level on the Anamalai mountain range. It is a small place in Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary that lies in the Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu at the southern part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve...
", a village in the northeast corner of the park which is the main visitor center. This name is derived from the local 19th century practice of sliding Teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
logs down from the hills. It is located in the Anaimalai Hills
Anaimalai Hills
The Anaimalai Hills is a range of mountains in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of South India. The name "Anaimalai" derives from the Tamil word 'Ana' meaning elephant and 'Mala' meaning hill, thus Elephant Hill. The highest peak of the Anaimalai Hills is Anamudi, , located in the...
of Pollachi
Pollachi
Pollachi is a taluk of Coimbatore Rural district of the Tamil Nadu state of India. It lies in the southern part of the Coimbatore city around 40 kilometres from downtown Coimbatore. This is the second largest town in the District after Corporation of Coimbatore. Owing to the proximity to the...
, Valparai
Valparai
Valparai is a hill station in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu,India. It is located 3,500 feet above sea level on the Anaimalai Hills range of the Western Ghats, at a distance of 100 km from Coimbatore and 65 km from Pollachi.There are 40 hairpin bends on the way to Valparai from Azhiyar...
and Udumalpet
Udumalaipettai
Udumalai also known as Udumalpet is a town and a municipality in Tirupur district, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Poor Man's Ooty, as it is called, the Udumalpet town is one of the famous summer resorts of Tamil Nadu, surrounded by Mountains on three sides.Its name in the ancient days was "UDUMALAI"...
taluks of Coimbatore District
Coimbatore District
Coimbatore District is one of the more affluent and industrially advanced districts of the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Coimbatore is known as the Manchester of South India. It one of the most industrialized towns of Tamil Nadu. It has the highest GDP among the districts of Tamil Nadu, even ahead...
, Tamilnadu state, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
.
The 108 square kilometres (41.7 sq mi) National Park is the core area of the 958 square kilometres (369.9 sq mi) Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, formerly called Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary. It was notified as a sanctuary in 1974 and 108 square kilometres (41.7 sq mi) of its unique habitats at 3 places - Karian Shola, Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley were notified as a National Park in 1989.
The Park and the Sanctuary is under consideration by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as part of The Western Ghats World Heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. The Sanctuary and the Palni Hills
Palni Hills
The Palni Hills are a mountain range in Tamil Nadu state of South India. The Palni Hills are an eastward extension of the Western Ghats ranges, which run parallel to the west coast of India. The Palni Hills adjoin the high Anamalai range on the west, and extend east into the plains of Tamil Nadu,...
in Dindigul District
Dindigul District
Dindigul District is an administrative region in the south of Tamil Nadu, India. The district was carved out of Madurai District in the year 1985...
form the Anaimalai Conservation Area.
Geography
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is a 285 km² Protected area in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, South India. Established in 1973, it is in the Sungam range of hills between the Anaimalai Hills and Nelliampathy Hills.,, The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all...
to the west. Manjampatti Valley
Manjampatti Valley
Manjampatti Valley is a protected area in the eastern end of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a pristine drainage basin of shola and montane rain Forest with high biodiversity recently threatened by illegal land clearing...
is a 110± km² drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
at the eastern end of the park.
Altitude ranges between 340 metres (1,115.5 ft) to 2513 metres (8,244.8 ft) above sea level. There are several named peaks over 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) in the park, including:
| Local name | Height | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Akka Malai | 2483 metres (8,146.3 ft) | 10°20′43"N 77°4′10"E |
| Tangachi Malai | 2380 metres (7,808.4 ft) | 10°20′46"N 77°3′38"E |
| Thanakku Malai | 2170 metres (7,119.4 ft) | 10°22′22"N 77°4′44"E |
| Sadayandi Malai | 2240 metres (7,349.1 ft) | 10°19′28"N 77°6′7"E |
| Kazhuthasuthi Malai | 2250 metres (7,381.9 ft) | 10°19′38"N 77°5′21"E |
| Kallar Malai | 2270 metres (7,447.5 ft) | 10°18′48"N 77°4′40"E |
| Jambu Malai | 1395 metres (4,576.8 ft) | 10°15′51"N 77°15′48"E |
| Pappalamman Malai | 2201 metres (7,221.1 ft) | 10°17′29"N 77°21′04"E |
| Vellari Malai | 2219 metres (7,280.2 ft) | 10°15′46"N 77°20′56"E |
| Podu Malai | 2230 metres (7,316.3 ft) | 10°18′44"N 77°5′16"E |
| Unknown at Kilanavayal | 2350 metres (7,710 ft) | 10°14′55"N 77°21′22"E |
| Paratumba | 2370 metres (7,775.6 ft) | 10°13′39"N 77°17′24"E |
| Kalabhaathur Malai | 2066 metres (6,778.2 ft) | 10°14′09"N 77°16′13"E |
| Kadavaari | 2112 metres (6,929.1 ft) | 10°13′40"N 77°17′24"E |
Mean annual rainfall is between 500 millimetres (19.7 in) in the south western fringes to 4500 millimetres (177.2 in) on the north east.
Tribal Communities
The IGWS has significant anthropological diversity with more than 4600 AdivasiAdivasi
Adivasi is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups claimed to be the aboriginal population of India. They comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India...
people from six tribes of indigenous people living in 34 settlements. The tribes are the Kadar
Kádár
Kádár is a Hungarian surname which may refer to:* János Kádár , Hungarian politician* Ján Kadár, Slovak-Hungarian film director* Tamás Kádár, Hungarian footballer* Matthias Kadar, a composer of German-Hungarian descent...
s, Malasars, Malaimalasars, Pulaiyar
Paliyan
The Paliyan, or Palaiyar or Pazhaiyarare are Adivasi Dravidian people living in the South Western Ghats montane rain forests in South India, especially in Tamilnadu and Kerala. They are traditional nomadic hunter-gatherers, honey hunters and foragers. Yams are their major food source...
s, Muduvar
Mudugar
Mudugar indigenous people live in the Attappadi valley in Palghat district of Kerala, South India. Some Mudugar also live in Cuddalore district, Nilgiri District and Dharmapuri District of Tamilnadu.-Disambiguation:...
s and the Eravalars.
Fauna
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s in the sanctuary include:
- the endangered Bengal tigerBengal TigerThe Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
, Indian elephantIndian ElephantThe Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
, DholeDholeThe dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
(Asiatic wild dog), Nilgiri tahrNilgiri TahrThe Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiritragus hylocrius, known locally as the Nilgiri Ibex or simply Ibex, is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu...
and Lion-tailed macaqueLion-tailed MacaqueThe lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey that is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.-Physical Characteristics:...
, - the vulnerableVulnerable speciesOn 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
Brown MongooseIndian Brown Mongoose| name = Indian Brown Mongoose| image = Brown Mongoose.jpg| image_caption =Adult from the southern Western Ghats| status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1| status_ref = | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Chordata| classis = Mammaliayugioh zexal...
, GaurGaurThe gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, Malabar Spiny Dormouse, Nilgiri langurNilgiri LangurThe Nilgiri langur is a lutung found in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in South India. Its range also includes Kodagu in Karnataka,Kodayar Hills in Tamil Nadu and many other hilly areas in Kerala and Tamil nadu. This primate has glossy black fur on its body and golden brown fur on its head...
, Rusty-spotted catRusty-spotted CatThe Rusty-spotted Cat is the cat family's smallest member and found only in India and Sri Lanka. It has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN in 2002 as the total effective population size is below 10,000 mature individuals, with a declining trend due to habitat loss, and no subpopulation containing...
, Sambar Deer, Sloth bearSloth BearThe sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
and Smooth-coated OtterSmooth-coated OtterThe Smooth-coated Otter is a species of otter, the only extant representative of the genus Lutrogale. The species is found from southern Pakistan and parts of the India east to Southeast Asia, and there is a disjunct population in Iraq...
, - the near threatenedNear ThreatenedNear Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...
Indian Giant SquirrelIndian Giant SquirrelThe Indian giant squirrel, or Malabar giant squirrel, is a large tree squirrel species genus Ratufa native to India. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel found in South Asia.-Description:...
, Indian LeopardIndian leopardThe Indian leopard is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the five big cats found in India, apart from Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard....
and Indian PangolinIndian PangolinThe Indian Pangolin or ”Scaly Ant-eater” is a pangolin that is found in the plains and hills of India, Sri Lanka,Nepal and some parts of Pakistan. It is not common anywhere in its range....
.
Animals of least concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
here include: Golden jackal
Golden Jackal
The golden jackal , also known as the common jackal, Asiatic jackal, thos or gold-wolf is a Canid of the genus Canis indigenous to north and northeastern Africa, southeastern and central Europe , Asia Minor, the Middle East and southeast Asia...
, Leopard cat
Leopard Cat
The leopard cat is a small wild cat of South and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range...
, Jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
, Spotted deer
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
, Barking Deer
Indian Muntjac
The Common Muntjac , also called the Red Muntjac, Indian Muntjac or Barking deer is the most numerous muntjac deer species. It has soft, short, brownish or greyish hair, sometimes with creamy markings. This species is omnivorous, feeding on fruits, shoots, seeds, birds' eggs as well as small...
, Mouse Deer
Indian Spotted Chevrotain
The Indian Spotted Chevrotain is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Tragulidae family found in India and possibly Nepal. It has a body length of 23 in , with a tail length of 1 in ; it weighs around 7 lb . It lives in rainforests and is nocturnal...
, Wild Boar, Common langur, Bonnet macaque
Bonnet Macaque
The bonnet macaque is a macaque endemic to southern India. Its distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari and Tapti Rivers along with a related competing species of rhesus macaque in the north....
, Asian Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet
Small Indian Civet
The Small Indian Civet or Rasse is a species of civet found across south and South-east Asia as well as in the Indonesian archipelago. The Assamese name Johamaal refers to its glandular odour similar to a scented rice variety called Joha...
, Indian Gray Mongoose
Indian Gray Mongoose
The Indian Gray Mongoose or Common Grey Mongoose is a species of mongoose mainly found in southern Asia mainly India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and some other parts of Asia. The gray mongoose is commonly found in open forests, scrub lands and cultivated fields, often close to human habitation...
, Striped-necked Mongoose
Striped-necked Mongoose
The Stripe-necked Mongoose is a species of mongoose found in southern India to Sri Lanka.The stripe-necked mongoose is the largest of the Asiatic mongooses. It has a stout body set on short legs. It is easily distinguished by the black stripe that runs laterally on both sides of its neck. The body...
, Ruddy Mongoose
Ruddy Mongoose
The Ruddy Mongoose is a species of mongoose found in hill forests of peninsular India and Sri Lanka. This mongoose along with the Striped-necked Mongoose are the only mongoose species endemic to India and Sri Lanka....
, Grey Slender Loris, Indian Giant Squirrel
Indian Giant Squirrel
The Indian giant squirrel, or Malabar giant squirrel, is a large tree squirrel species genus Ratufa native to India. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel found in South Asia.-Description:...
, Indian Crested Porcupine, Indian Pangolin
Indian Pangolin
The Indian Pangolin or ”Scaly Ant-eater” is a pangolin that is found in the plains and hills of India, Sri Lanka,Nepal and some parts of Pakistan. It is not common anywhere in its range....
, Indian porcupine
Indian Porcupine
The Indian Crested Porcupine , or Indian Porcupine, is a member of the Old World porcupines. It is quite an adaptable rodent, found throughout southern Asia and the Middle East. It is tolerant of several different habitats: mountains, tropical and subtropical grasslands, scrublands, and forests...
and Three-striped Palm Squirrel
Indian Palm Squirrel
The Indian Palm Squirrel also known as Three-Striped Palm Squirrel, is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family that can be easily domesticated and kept as pets. It is found naturally in India and Sri Lanka...
.
Over 250 species of birds have been identified in the Park . Some of the most important groups include, cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, teal
Teal
Teal may mean:* Teal , a medium greenish-blue color* Various ducks:** Baikal Teal, Anas formosa** Black Teal, Aythya novaeseelandiae** Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors** Brown Teal, Anas aucklandica** Campbell Teal Anas nesiotis...
, darter
Darter
The darters or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds in the family Anhingidae. There are four living species, three of which are very common and widespread while the fourth is rarer and classified as near-threatened by the IUCN. The term "snakebird" is usually used without any additions to...
, partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
, quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
, jungle fowl, spurfowl, Indian peafowl
Indian Peafowl
The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...
, parakeet
Parakeet
Parakeet is a term for any one of a large number of unrelated small to medium sized species of parrot, that generally have long tail feathers...
s, hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
s, barbet
Barbet
American barbets, family Capitonidae, are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes which inhabit humid forests in Central and South America. They are closely related to the toucans....
s, drongo
Drongo
The drongos are a family of small passerine birds of the Old World tropics, the Dicruridae. This family was sometimes much enlarged to include a number of largely Australasian groups, such as the Australasian fantails, monarchs and paradise flycatchers...
s, oriole
Oriole
Orioles are colourful Old World passerine birds in the genus Oriolus, the namesake of the corvoidean family Oriolidae. They are not related to the New World orioles, which are icterids and, belonging to the superfamily Passeroidea songbirds, are quite unrelated to the true orioles.The orioles are...
s, shrike
Shrike
Shrikes are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of thirty-one species in three genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes were also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits...
s, warbler
Warbler
There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....
s, Old World flycatcher
Old World flycatcher
The Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is a large family of small passerine birds mostly restricted to the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.-Characteristics:...
s, woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s, chloropsis, trogon
Trogon
The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family contains 39 species in eight genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the mid-Eocene. They might constitute a member of the basal radiation of...
s, kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s, stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
s, egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s, fish eagle
Fish Eagle
Fish eagle can refer to several birds:*African Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus vocifer*Sanford's Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus sanfordi*Madagascar Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus vociferoides*Lesser Fish Eagle, Ichthyophaga humilis...
, hawk eagles, harriers
Harrier (bird)
A harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, or birds....
, falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
s, kite
Kite (bird)
Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae....
s, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s and nightjar
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
s.
It is home to 15 of 16 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats.
Reptiles include Toads, Spotted Leaping Frog
Indirana diplosticta
Indirana diplosticta sometimes called the Spotted Leaping Frog is a species of frog endemic to the Western Ghats of India.-External links:*...
and Leith's Leaping Frog
Indirana leithii
Leith's Leaping Frog is a species of frog found in the Western Ghats of India.-Description:Vomerine teeth in two oblique groups just behind the level of the choanae. A free, pointed papilla on the middle of the tongue...
, Black Torrent Frog
Micrixalus saxicola
The Black torrent frog is a small frog species found in forest streams in the Western Ghats of India.-Description:Tongue with a free, pointed papilla in the anterior part of the median line...
s, tree frog
Tree frog
Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semi-aquatic.-Characteristics:...
s, Pythons, Cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
s, Kraits, Viper
Viperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
s, Grass Snake
Grass Snake
The grass snake , sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake is a European non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.-Etymology:...
s, Forest Cane Turtles, Travancore Tortoises, Flapshell Turtles
Indian flapshell turtle
Indian flapshell turtle is a fresh water species of turtle found in South Asia. The “Flap-shelled” name stems from the presence of femoral flaps that are located on the plastron. These flaps of skin serve the purpose of covering the limbs when they retract into the shell. It is unclear what...
s, Star Tortoise
Indian Star Tortoise
The Indian star tortoise is a species of tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forest in India and Sri Lanka. This species is quite popular in the exotic pet trade.-Anatomy and morphology:...
s, Flying lizard
Flying lizard
- Animal :Flying lizard can refer to species of lizard that move by gliding between trees. They are contained by Draco :*Draco blanfordii*Draco maculatus*Draco norvillii*Draco volans- Motor Racing :...
s, Chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
s and Forest Lizards
Calotes
Calotes is a lizard genus in the draconine clade of the family Agamidae, containing 24 species. Some species are known as forest lizards, others as "bloodsuckers" due to their red heads, and yet others as as garden lizards...
.
315 species of butterflies belonging to five families have been identified in the Anaimalai Hills
Anaimalai Hills
The Anaimalai Hills is a range of mountains in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of South India. The name "Anaimalai" derives from the Tamil word 'Ana' meaning elephant and 'Mala' meaning hill, thus Elephant Hill. The highest peak of the Anaimalai Hills is Anamudi, , located in the...
. 44 are endemic to the Western Ghats.
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
The Steering Committee of Project TigerProject Tiger
Project Tiger was launched in 1972 in India. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of tigers in their natural habitats and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage for the people. The selection of areas for the reserves represented as close as possible the...
granted approval in principle to inclusion of Indira Gandhi WLS and NP under Project Tiger in 2005. IGWS was declared a Project Tiger sanctuary in 2008. Continuance of Project Tiger’ in Anamalai Tiger Reserve for FY 2010/11, at the cost of Rs. 235.47 Lakh
Lakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
s, was approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority
National Tiger Conservation Authority
The National Tiger Conservation Authority was established in December 2005 following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganized management of Project Tiger...
on 31 August 2010.
Kozhikamudhi Elephant Camp
Elephants were earlier trained and used at Anamalai for timber operationsLogging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
till felling of trees was stopped in 1972. The elephant camp has become a popular public attraction since 1976. There are 20 kumki
Kumki
Kumki is the local name for captive, trained Indian elephants. These are used mostly for taming and training of newly captured wild elephants and also to lead away wild elephants that stray in to human settlements....
elephants at the Kozhikamudhi Elephant Camp in the IGWSNP. There are 13 tuskers (including three calves) and seven cow elephants. The names and ages of twelve of the working elephants are: Vijayalakshmi (58), Sarada (56), Nanjan (50), Kaleem (45), Paari (31), Kalpana (30), Venkatesh (28), Karthik (27), Bharani (25), Durga (13), Rajvardhan (11) and Suyambu (4).
In 1997, annual celebration of Elephant Pongal
Pongal
Thai Ponggal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry and in Sri Lanka. Pongal coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over" or "spill over". The boiling...
at Top Slip was begun. For Pongal, several decorated elephants stand in front of the Pongal pot to mark the commencement of the celebration. The elephants are fed chakkarai pongal, banana and sugarcane while lined up behind a barricade, so tourists can have a close look. In 2011, Elephant Pongal was celebrated on January 18.
On February 24, 2011 the Kumki 'Karthik' was gored to death by two wild male elephants after it unchained itself in the camp and escaped into the forest. The elephant was in musth
Musth
Musth or must is a periodic condition in bull elephants, characterized by highly aggressive behavior, accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones - testosterone levels in an elephant in musth can be as much as 60 times greater than in the same elephant at other times...
and was in search of a female companion. It was gored by the two elephants possibly because 'Karthik' entered their habitation leading to a territirial conflict.
Flora
The park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna typical of the South Western GhatsWestern Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
. There are over 2000 species plants of which about 400 species are of prime medicinal value. The diverse topography and rainfall gradient allow a wide variety of vegetation comprising a mix of natural and man-made habitats. The former includes wet evergreen forest
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
and semi-evergreen forest
East Deccan dry evergreen forests
The East Deccan dry evergreen forests are an ecoregion of southeastern India. The ecoregion includes the coastal region behind the Coromandel Coast on the Bay of Bengal, between the Eastern Ghats and the sea...
, montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
shola-grassland
Shola
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating...
, moist deciduous
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
, dry deciduous, thorn forest
Deccan thorn scrub forests
The Deccan thorn scrub forests is a xeric shrubland ecoregion of India and northernmost Sri Lanka, a large area that was once forest and home to large numbers of elephants and tigers.-Location and description:...
s and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. Tropical wet evergreen forest is found at an altitude of 600m to 1,600m.
Tropical montane forests
South Western Ghats montane rain forests
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an ecoregion of southern India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats range in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, at elevations over 1000 meters...
occur at higher elevations and are interspersed with montane grasslands, forming the shola-grassland complex. Much of the original evergreen forest now contains introduced teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s. Bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
stands and reeds
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
occur in the natural forests. Tree cover is provided by Hopea parviflora
Hopea parviflora
Hopea parviflora is a species of plant in the Dipterocarpaceae family. It is endemic to India.-References:* Ashton, P. 1998. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
, Mesua ferrea
Mesua ferrea
Mesua ferrea is a species in the family Calophyllaceae. The plant is named after the heaviness of its timber and cultivated in tropical climates for its form, foliage, and fragrant flowers...
, Calophyllum tomentosum
Calophyllum tomentosum
Calophyllum tomentosum is a species of flowering plant in the Calophyllaceae family, commonly known as 'bintangur'.It is found in Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats.-References:...
, Vateria indica
Vateria indica
Vateria indica is a species of plant in the Dipterocarpaceae family. It is endemic to India. It is threatened by habitat loss.This tree grows like a palm but has blunt thorns along its trunk.-Uses:...
, Cullenia excelsa
Cullenia
Cullenia is a genus of flowering plants native to India and Sri Lanka. Earlier classification schemes place the genus in the Kapok-tree family , but the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group places it in the Malva family ....
and Mangifera indica
Mangifera indica
Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world...
, Machilus macrantha, Alstonia scholaris
Alstonia scholaris
Alstonia scholaris Alstonia scholaris Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae, commonly called Blackboard tree, Indian devil tree, Ditabark, Milkwood pine, White cheesewood and Pulai; syn. Echites scholaris L. Mant., Pala scholaris L...
, Evodia meliaefolia
Tetradium
Tetradium is a genus of nine species of trees in the family Rutaceae, occurring in temperate to tropical east Asia. In older books, the genus was often included in the related genus Euodia , but that genus is now restricted to tropical species...
, Ailanthus
Ailanthus
Ailanthus is a genus of trees belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, in the order Sapindales . The genus is native from east Asia south to northern Australasia....
and Malabaricum
Bombax ceiba
Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree or tree cotton. This tropical tree has a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage. It produces a capsule which, when ripe,...
and Eucalyptus grandis
Eucalyptus grandis
Eucalyptus grandis, commonly known as the Flooded gum or Rose gum, is a tall tree with smooth bark, rough at the base fibrous or flaky, grey to grey-brown...
. The area is home to Podocarpus wallichianus
Podocarpus
Podocarpus is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. The 105 species of Podocarpus are evergreen shrubs or trees from 1-25 m in height...
, a rare South Indian species of conifer.
Visitor Information
Travel by road from Coimbatore to Pollachi (40 km) to the Wildlife Warden's Office for visitor permit and then by road to Top Slip (35 km), or to Udumalpet (40 km - Amaravathi and Udumalpet range), or to Vaalparai (65 km - Vaalparai and Manamboly range)
The ideal months to visit the Park are May to January. Entry time is between 6 am and 6 pm. The Park has a large tourist complex at Top Slip that houses many cottages, rooms, and dormitories for visitors. Visitors can get around the park by trekking and a safari van.