Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve Wild Life sancturies - Tirunelveli tourist places

The Mundanthurai-Kalakad wildlife sanctuary in Tirunelveli district is developed as a National Tiger Reserve  from the year 1988 with a total area of 817 sq. km in the south most western ghat ranges.  The nearest stations are Cheranmahadevi, and Ambasamudaram which are 20kms  and 15 kms respectively from Tirunelveli. The nearest airports are Madurai and Trivandrum.  One can reach this place by road also from Ambasamudaram and Kalakad. Frequent buses are plying from Ambasamudaram and Kalakad to this place. Out of 817 sq. kms.459  sq.kms is in core zone and 358 sq.kms. is in buffer zone.

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The mountainous undulating to topography is the characteristic feature leading to tropical dry deciduous forest on the lower slopes and tropical wet evergreen forests on the upper reaches.   
The climate is dry humid and hot at plains and pleasant cold in the higher elevations.  The reserve is the southernmost habitat of the tiger.  Other predators like panthers, jungle cats, civets, dholes, jackals, striped hyenas are also found here.

India is the home of 18 non-human primate species of which five primates occur in this reserve namely lion-tailed macque, slender loris, Nilgiri langur common langur and bonnet macaque.  Other endangered species found here are Nilgiri tahr, sloth bear, Indian bison, Indian elephant, Malabar giant squirrel, mouse deer, pangolin etc.  In addition to that sambar wild boar, spotted deer, porcupine and mangooses are also found here.

We can also come across reptiles and amphibians like king cobra, common krait, russels, viper, darkpit viper, monitor lizard, garden lizard, tortoise, crocodiles and rare species of frogs.  Regarding avifauna there are more than 80 species of birds found in this region.  To mention a few spotted frequently here are egrets, herons, jungle fowl, spurfowl, partridge, quails, emerald dove, minivets, bee caters, sparrows, owls, night jars, kites, paradise flay catchers, and parakeets etc.
There are 24 identified nature trails which is spread over the reserve.  It gives a thrilling experience to trekkers.  This Tiger Reserve is open on all days between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the year.  However the best season is September to January.  Forest Rest Houses and dormitories are available at Mundanthurai and Thalayanai.

The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Nilgiri Hills, at a point where the Western Ghats meet the Eastern Ghats. This sanctuary has a mix of flat land, undulating parkland, open grassland, swamp, valleys and nullahs. The Mayyar River forms a series of spectacular cascades on its 65 kms route on the Udhagamandalam-Mysore highway. This sanctuary can be reached from Mysore too.

The 321 sq kms area of the sanctuary encompasses a National Park measuring 103 sq kms. The vegetation here is varied. The hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, clothed in dense mixed and moist deciduous forests, make Mudumalai a most attractive wildlife reserve.

The Mysore-Ooty highway runs through the Park, following the course of the Mayyar River, which separates Mudumalai from the Bandipur sanctuary.

The fauna includes Elephant, Gaur, Bonnet, Macaque, Common langur, Tigers and Leopards, Chital, Panther, Sloth Bear, Python, Barking deer, Four-Horned Antelope, Otter, Crocodile, Giant flying squirrel, Sambhar, Hyena, Wild Dog, Wild Boar, Mouse Deer, Spotted Deer, Jackal, Hare, Porcupine and Mongoose.