Location:
65-km From Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu
Area : 321-Sq-Kms
Best Time To Visit : January-March And
September-October
Known For Its: Rich Fauna
The Mudumalai
wildlife sanctuary is located where the Nilgiri Hills, the offshoot of
the Western Ghats meet the Eastern Ghats. The Mysore - Ooty highway
runs through the san
ctuary,
following the course of the Mayyar River, which separates Mudumalai
from Bandipur.
This 321-sq-kms
wide sanctuary encompasses a National Park measuring an area of
103-sq-kms. The sanctuary has varied mixture of flat land, open
grassland, swamp and valleys. Apart from the wide range of animal and
bird life, the rich fauna of this sanctuary has made Mudumalai very
popular with wildlife enthusiasts.
There are
tigers at Mudumalai, though it takes a lot of luck and perseverance to
spot one of these big cats that are such masters of stealth. But there
are several other creatures of the jungle that can be sighted more
easily.
Flora
The vegetation
is quite varied in this region. The hilly terrain of the Western Ghats,
clothed in dense mixed and moist deciduous forests, make Mudumalai
(the ancient hills) a most attractive wildlife reserve. Bamboos (Bambusa
Arundinacea) Natural teak (Tectona Grandis), Anogeissus latifolia,
Terminalia, Crenulata/Terminalia Tomontosa, Grewia, and blooming trees
like Indian Labumusum, Aredesia, Solanancea are some of the flora.
Fauna
The fauna
include Elephants, Gaur, Banner, Macaque, Common Langur, Tigers,
Leopards, Chital, Panther, Sloth Bear, Python, Barking Deer, Four
Horned Antelope, Otter, Crocodiles (Mugger), Giant Flying Squirrel,
Sambar, Hyena, Wild Dog, Wild Boar, Mouse Deer, Spotted Deer, Jackal,
Hare, Porcupine and Mongoose.
The birds
listed in this sanctuary are Peacock-our National bird, Grey Jungle
Fowl, Red Spur Fowl, Grey Partridge Quails, Goggle Eyed Plower,
Malabar Whistling Thrush, Large Racket-Tailed Dronge, The
Magpie-robin, Spotted Babbler, Small Green Barbet, Green Pigeons,
Brown Dove, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Bulbuls, Mynahs, etc. Among birds
of prey, Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, Harriers, Falcons and King Vulture
are predominant, besides some migratory water birds.
