Wildlife Sanctuaries In Nilgiri Hills
Travel To India > Nilgiri Hills > Wildlife Sanctuaries In Nilgiri HillsThe Himalayan like climatic conditions and southern warmth of Western Ghats nourish the growth and fertility of a variety of endangered and rare species of flora and fauna in the wildlife sanctuaries in Nilgiri Hills, which are otherwise treated fatally in the hands of man for sufficing the mere pleasure of finance or a gory sport. The noble action of the state government and animal preservation and conservation organizations have transformed the dream of animal lovers from illusion to reality by artificially enclosing the harmed species in their free environment. Nilgiri is home to three major sanctuaries:
Mudumalai Bird Sanctuary:
Located at a reasonable distance of 65 km from Ooty on the Ooty-Mysore road, the sanctuary offers a beautiful panorama of woods, brooks, waterfalls and tea estates on the course. Spread over an area of 321 Sq Km, the bird sanctuary is home to the peaceful union of animals and plants in their primordial abode. Free from the jaws of mankind, the endangered species are an exhibition to the predatory human. The sanctuary is famous for the exquisite collection of some of the best species of birds, animals and plants:
- Animals: Elephant, Macaque, Common langur, Gaur, Chital, Tigers, Leopards, Panther, Sloth bear, Barking deer, python, Otter, crocodile, Sambhar, Spotted dear, Mouse dear and porcupine.
- Birds: Peacock, Gray jungle fowl, Racquet tailed dronge, Malabar whistling thrush, Spotted babbler, Magpie robin and Brown dove.
Perennial except the months of June to August.
Silent Valley National Park:
Constructed in an area of 89.52 square kilometers, the park is located in the Palakkad district touching the think line of Nilgiri Hills. The area of the park was first explored by the botanist of the name Robert Wight. The hard soil of the park is intensely drained with the water of Kuntipuzha River offering a climate of pouring rains in monsoons. The threatened and endangered birds are:
- Nilgiri wood pigeon, Malabar parakeet, white bellied treepei, Grey headed bulbul, Broad tailed grassbird, Rufous babbler , Wynaad laughing thrush, White bellied shortwing, Nilgiri flycatcher, Nilgiri pipit and Crimson backed sunbird.
- Mammals: Tiger, loapard, fishing cat, small Indian civet, flying squirrel and nilgiri langur.
- Flora: 200 species of liverworts, 75 types of lichens and 200 algea.
Mukkurthi National park:
Nestled amidst the Sholas of Nilgiris, the park is located at a distance of 40 km from Ooty. A relaxation journey from the commercialized tourism of Ooty, it evades you into an isolated world of our primal life. The park boosts of its soft preservative natural methods in handling the conservation of species of:
- Nilgiri Tahr, zoological named Hamitragus hilocrius, River otter, Sambhar and Nilgiri Marten.
- Avifauna: The grey park is colorfully ornamented with thrushes, wild pigeons, woodcock and black eagle. The butterfly collection is inclusive of the Indian red admiral and blue admiral.
All the above mentioned sanctuaries are easily reached by air, train and bus.
- Nearest airport: Coimbatore.
- Nearest railway station: Ooty.