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Anamalai Tiger Reserve

Description

Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Anaimalai Sanctuary, is favoured site for wildlife enthusiasts around Coimbatore. A part of Nilgiri Biosphere reserve, the sanctuary is known for it’s rich flora and fauna. Wildlife reserve provides habitat for animals such as panthers, tigers, elephants, spotted deer, civet cats, and wild boars. Besides, the region is referred as birder's paradise as it houses contrasting varieties of birds, which include The Black Headed Oriole, Rocket-tailed Drongo, Tree Pie, Spotted Dove and Red Whiskered Bulbul.

History

By the mid-1800s, large tracts of Valparai plateau in the Anamalais were under intense tea or coffee plantations after deforestation of the natural forests. By 1866 two-thirds of the plantations were owned by Europeans and the remaining by Indians from coastal towns. Since most native inhabitants either refused to work or were inefficient workers, labour for plantations was brought from the plains of Tamil Nadu to clear forests and grow coffee. Some parts of the forest however were reserved for timber including large areas around Top Slip. This part of the Western Ghats, under the Bombay Presidency were exploited extensively for teak which was supplied to the Bombay Dockyard for shipbuilding and later for railroad ties. In 1855, this area came under sustainable forest management for teak plantations by the pioneering efforts Douglas Hamilton and Dr. H. F. Cleghorn of the new Tamil Nadu Forest Department. In the early 1900s, protection of the Karian Sholas was also ensured (Johnsingh 2006a). The area was notified as Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary in 1974. of its unique habitats at 3 places – Karian Shola, Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley were notified as a National Park in 1989. The 108 square kilometres (42 sq mi) National Park is the core area of the 958 square kilometres (370 sq mi) Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary.[1] IGWS was declared a Project Tiger tiger reserve in 2008. 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.

Full Address

Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu 642101

 

Type of Place

  • Sanctuary
  • Picnic Spot

Prefered For

  • Family
  • Friends
  • Kids
  • Senior Citizen

Transportation

  • Nearest Airport is Coimbatore – 87 kms.
  • Nearest Railway Station is in Pollachi – 35 kms.
  • • Bus services is available frequently from Pollachi to Topslip 35kms.

Important Information

  • Entry: Paid Pets : Not Allowed Timings : Opening & Closing: Summer: 6.30 AM - 6.30 PM , Winter: 6.30 AM - 6.30 PM

Attraction

  • Anamala / Anaimalai Hills is also known as Elephant Hill. The Anamala or Anaimalai Hills, also known as the Elephant Hills, are the range of mountains that form the southern portion of the Western Ghats and span the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The name animala is derived from the Tamil words ana or anai, meaning elephant, and mala or malai, meaning hill — thus Elephant Hill. Anai Peak (8,842 feet [2,695 metres]) lies at the extreme southwestern end of the range and is the highest peak in southern India. Palakkad Gap divides the Western Ghats to the north. The lower slopes of the hills now have coffee and tea plantations as well as teak forests of great economic value. Dense monsoon forests including rosewood, sandalwood, teak, and sago palms cover most of the region, which helps the coffee and tea plantations and teak plantations grow. The Western Ghats and Anaimalai Sub-Cluster, including the Anaimalai Hills, are currently under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

Things to Buy

  • Tamil Nadu, a land of great heritage, offers exciting shopping opportunities experiences to the visitors. Tamil Nadu is well known for its rich cultural heritage, which is so very well represented in its exquisite arts and crafts. The arts and crafts of the state are world-famous for their uniqueness and style. This unique heritage is seen all over the state. Traditional items like silk of Kanchipuram, Pattamara mats and the leaf, Tirunellveli's Palmyra-fiber handicrafts, bronze and brass castings and traditional jewelry from Kumbakonam, Tanjore's metal works and stone sculptures from Mahabalipuram are famous all over.

Things to Eat

  • Uttappam with toppings, Banana Bonda, Dosa, Muruku, Sambar, Coconut chutney, Idli and vada, Lemon Rice, Paruppu Payasam.

Things to enjoy

  • 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.