Wildlife in Tamil Nadu

About Wildlife In Tamil Nadu

The topography of Tamil Nadu is delightfully varied and diverse. Of the 1,30,058 sq km land area, 17.6 is covered with forest area. These spreads over the plain and on mountain slopes. Dry lands are bestowed with dry-deciduous forests, thorn forests, scrubs and mangroves. The Western Ghats and a few cooler regions are endowed with moist deciduous, wet evergreen forests, sholas and grasslands.

Tamilnadu is rich in flora and fauna and some of its major wildlife sanctuaries like Madumalai and Annamalai (or Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary), are situated in the Western Ghats. These hills are ideal havens for elephants, tigers, bisons, monkeys and deer. Of the 3,000 and more plant species found in Tamilnadu, a majority is found in the mixed deciduous forests of this region. One of the most noteworthy flowers is the Kurinji of Kodaikanal, which blooms once in 12 years. Cinchona, from which the anti-malarial drug quinine is extracted, and the medicinal eucalyptus grow abundantly in the Nilgiri hills. Forests of other medicinal herbs are found in Palani hills and Courtallam.

Palmyra trees grow profusely in Tirunelveli and its products are used as raw materials for several cottage industries. Rubber is the main plantation crop in Kanyakumari and sandalwood grows in the Javadhu hills of Vellore district.