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Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Tamil Nadu
Area: 321 sq. km
Major Wildlife Attractions: Elephant, Tiger, Gaur
Best time to visit: February to June
Places to Stay: Forest Rest House, Guest houses (Masinagudi)
About Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Mudumalai Wildlife Reserve is
situated in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The park is
separated from the Bandipur national park by river Moyar that flows
along the border of the state, acting as a vital water resource that
sustains the flora and fauna of the region.
The terrain is extremely varied with hills, ravines, valleys,
watercourses and swamps, while the vegetation is deciduous with
tropical moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and scrub
forests occupying most of the area. The best time to visit the
sanctuary is during the months from February to June, which is also
the time when animals can be easily spotted.
Moving inside the park is not a problem with jeeps available for hire
at reasonable prices. The uneven terrain of the park can be easily
covered on a sturdy vehicle which can also penetrate deeper into the
areas inaccessible by some of the other means. Besides jeeps, elephant
safaris provide a unique thrill and excitement to the visitors.
Elephants being a part of the animal kingdom can get closer to the
animals without frightening them. Mini bus safaris are organised by
the park authorities, the timings for which are 7-9 AM and 3-6:30 PM.
Wildlife Attractions in
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary with its tropical climate and varied
terrain is home to a variety of flora and fauna. The vegetation is
quite diverse with the western ghats covered in a blanket of dense
moist deciduous forests, that lend a unique charm to the area. Other
variety of trees found in the region include Bamboos, Natural Teak,
Anogeissus latifolia, Terminalia, Crenulata/Terminalia Tomontosa,
Grewia, Labumusum, Aredesia and Solanancea.
The sanctuary is home to a myriad variety of animals. Some of the
most attractive and exotic animals found in the country have made
their homes here in the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. From gigantic
Indian Elephants to little Porcupines, prominent among the animals
found here include 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 and Mongoose.
Besides animals the avian residents of the park are equally large in
number. The birds can often be seen flying around, registering their
presence to the visitors. Among the major birds listed in the
sanctuary are Peacock, 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 and
Mynahs. Preyry birds include Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, Harriers,
Falcons and Vulture. Other migratory birds can also be seen throughout
the year.
Best Time to Visit Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
The best visiting season of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is from
February to June.
How to Get there
Air: Coimbatore city has a major airport which connects the
area to other cities in the country through a number of direct and
indirect flights. Indian Airlines flight operate between
Delhi-Coimbatore (6:30, daily) and Chennai-Coimbatore (14:40, Wed,
Fri, Sun). Jet Airways connects Mumbai to Coimbatore (12:35 &
16:00, daily).
Rail: The sanctuary can be easily accessed from the Nanjangud
railway station, just 65 km from the sanctuary. Another important
railhead is Mysore, 91 km away, which is connected via The Swarna
Jayanthi Exp. (Dep. 6:00, Mon) to Delhi. Mumbai is connected through
the Sharavathi Exp. (21:30, Tue) while Chennai is connected through
the Mysore Exp. (21:45, Daily).
Road: The Ooty - Mysore highway runs through the park and is
an easy way to reach the area. The nearest town is Gudalur, just 16 km
from the sanctuary. State transport buses provide regular services
from all the major neighbouring cities including Ooty and Mysore. To
reach by road from Coimbatore, take the Ooty highway to Gudalur,
Mysore highway to Theppakadu and Muddumalai's main forest base. |
