Madumalai

Madumalai means “first hills” and it is the one of the most beautiful wildlife sanctuary and it is also a tiger reserve established in 1940. The park is spared over 321 square kilometer and is part of the Niligiri biosphere situated in Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu. It is 90 Kms away from Mysore and 64 Kms from Ooty. Madumalai forests lies at the interstate border of Karnataka and Kerala. Madumalai national park is divided into five ranges and they are – Masinagudi, Thepakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi and Nellakota.

The Mudumalai national park is an extension of the Bandipur/Nagarhole national park in Karnataka towards the north, to the west is the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary of Kerala, to the south is the Mukurthi / Silent valley national park of Kerala and to the east is the Sathyamangala / Biligiri Ranga wildlife sanctuary of Karnataka. All the above mentioned wildlife sanctuaries are tiger reserves.

The wild animals of this region comprises of Tigers, Panthers, Leapords, Elephants, Gaur, Sambar, Malabar Squirrel, Sloth Bear, Deer, Mouse Deer, Langur, Macaque, Wild Boars etc., which move from one forests into the other according to the availability of food.

There are about 266 species of birds that have made their home in Madumalai like peacocks, woodpeckers, drongo, wagtails, dove, bush chat, parrots, Indian robin etc., The black and orange flycatcher found in these regions are endangered. Reptiles like Cobra, Monitor Lizard, Crested Hawk Eagles and Python glide unseen on the lush leafy carpet of the forests.

The forest comprises of tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous and southern tropical thorn. The majority of trees found in the park are those of Teak, Bejal, Indian Laburnum, Bamboo, Kumizh, etc.

The Moyar River winds into the forest and is the major water resource of the area. Animals can be spotted as they come to have a drink of water. Many crocodiles are spotted near the river and hence people are not allowed to go near the water. The TTDC restaurant next to the river is a great place to have breakfast and watch the surroundings.

There are Van and Elephant Safari conducted by Tamil Nadu Forest department, which facilitates tourists to sight animals in their natural surroundings.

Nearby places to visit are Masinagudi, Bandipur, Ooty, Kalahatty Falls, Pykara Lake.

Place Statistics:
Type of Place: Wild Life Sanctuary / Tiger Reserve
Situated: Tamil Nadu
Distance: 90 Kms from Mysore, 64 Kms from Ooty; nearest airport is Coimbatore (160 Kms) and railhead is Ooty
Transport: Well connected by roads, Government buses ply from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
Facilities: Resorts, guest houses, TTDC Restaurant + staying options, Tea Shop, Rest rooms are available.

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