Top 10 Protected Wildlife Areas in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is rich in biodiversity due to the wide variety of habitats in the state. The state is like a treasure trove for travelers who not only enjoy temples and other architectural marvels but also dream of the perfect wildlife safari in some of the country’s most popular game reserves.

The state of Tamil Nadu, with several famous top-protected wildlife areas in the country, attracts nature lovers from all over the world and offers them the perfect opportunity to get close to nature and her wildest creations. This makes the national parks of Tamil Nadu exciting places to visit. 

Here are the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu:

Mukurthi National Park

Located on the west side of the Nilgiri Plateau in the Western Ghats, this national park is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. The park was established on December 12, 2001, and covers an area of ​​78.46 square kilometers. Most of the reserve’s landscape is occupied by bushes and mountain meadows. 

The high-altitude and heavily rainy national park area is covered with shola and lush tropical grasslands. Other important species of flowers in the park are wild yellow raspberry, Guthariya fergidinicma, cinnamon, Mahonia leschenaulti, Nepalese sanatorium, etc.

 Mukurthi National Park is famous for its protected wildlife sanctuaries consisting of animals like the Asian elephant and the Bengal tiger. The Bonhote Mouse, Nilgiri Pine Marten, Jungle Cat, Black-naped Hare, Soft-haired Rat, Crested Macaque, Indian Small Civet, and Malabar Dormouse are also part of the park’s wildlife population. 

The park is home to endemic frogs such as Ghatixalus variabilis, Bufo micro tympanum, and Raorchestes Tinniens, as well as reptiles that feed on them such as the horseshoe viper, sand snake, checkered snake, brown-headed snake, Perrotet’s shieldtail, and pygmy gecko.

The national park is a strictly protected area and is under the strict supervision of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, which has strict anti-poaching programs in the area. Despite the presence of many endangered animal and plant species, the main goal of the national park is to protect the animals here, making it one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. 

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Kancheepuram City is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. This sanctuary is a popular migration site for around 40,000 different bird species from around the world. 

Some of the native birds recognized here include cormorants, darters, grebes, great egrets, great egrets, chanterelles, night herons, rice birds, and great spotted storks. It is said that so many birds are attracted to the various ponds which prove to be fertile feeding grounds for the birds.

 Among the migratory birds, the most prominent are teal and teal from Canada, snakebirds and ibis from Sri Lanka, gray pelicans from Australia, gray herons and open storks from Bangladesh, painted storks from Siberia, spoonbills from Burma, and the spotted duck. 

These magnificent winged creatures can be observed with binoculars from the clean cobbled walkways that run along the west shore of the lake. Even the watchtowers are built to the satisfaction of the tourists. Moreover, it is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.

Anamalai Tiger Reserve 

Previously known as Indira Gandhi Sanctuary and National Park, Anamalai Tiger Reserve is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. It is placed in the Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi, Valparai, and Udumalpet taluks of Coimbatore District and Tiruppur District in Tamil Nadu.

 Covering a place of about 958 sq. km, Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a completely unique ecological tract in the Western Ghats. Anamalai is home to 20 tigers and Mudumalai. It is home to around 2,000 species of plants, of which 400 own medicinal value.

 The Anamalai Reservoir also homes a large number of crocodiles. Anamalai is home to a variety of mammals and reptiles, such as tigers, Indian leopards, wild boars, giant squirrels, barking deer, giant elephants, pythons, cobras, vipers, wild pigs, and Nilgiri langurs, to name a few.

 Anamalai gives interesting sightseeing, trekking, boating, and elephant safari opportunities to tourists making it one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.

Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary

‘Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary‘ also known as ‘Kodikkarai Wildlife Sanctuary’ is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil nadu. The forest consists of dry evergreen trees and is closer to the sea it also consists of wetlands and mangrove forests. In addition, the park covers an area of ​​21.47 km². 

It is also home to “wild animals” such as chital, wild boar, macaque, spotted stork, black goat, terns, plovers and waders, “Mare” and “Ponętny Beaches”. The reserve is a relatively safe place for ibex and deer, as the only predators here are free-roaming jackals and dogs. 

Wild ponies are also often seen grazing in the sanctuary’s open grassy areas. Bird activity is plentiful in the wetlands and you can see howling seagulls, black-necked storks, and pied storks basking in their colorful plumage. 

October-January is prime time for bird watching as the marshes and marshes teem with migratory waterfowl such as ducks, terns, waders, and flamingos which arrive in mid-November. Overall it is a top protected wildlife area in Tamil Nadu. 

Arinagar Anna Zoological Park

Established in 1855, Arignar Anna Zoological Park is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. It was moved to its current location in the Vandalur Reserve Forests in 1979 and officially opened to the public in 1985. It is affiliated with the Central Board of Zoos in India.

 It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Chennai. Covering an area of ​​602 hectares, the zoo is home to 2,553 species of flora and fauna. As of 2012, the park had approximately 1,500 wildlife species, including 46 critically endangered species, in 160 enclosures. 

Here you see tigers, panthers, wolves, deer, elephants, and other animals. The park has a special outdoor area where animals can roam freely and in peace. There are two protective aviaries, a butterfly house, reptiles, amphibians, primates, a crocodile enclosure, and a shark tank. 

The main focus of the park is the ex-situ breeding of critically endangered species to prevent extinction, wildlife education and interpretation, to promote broader public appreciation of wildlife and wildlife research, and wildlife conservation and management to promote. No wonder it is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.

Nagarhole Tiger Reserve

Nagarahole tiger reserve is one of the top 10 top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. It is situated between the Mysuru plateau in Karnataka and the Nilgiri Mountains of Tamil Nadu, it’s far a 640 sq. km. sanctuary this is home to an abundant variety of flora and fauna.

 The Tiger Reserve has 125 individual tigers and boasts to have the highest density among its counterparts. As per the latest reports, density is estimated to be 11.82 per 100 Sq Km

 The place is a paradise for nature lovers and those seeking solitude. A sort of species, such as Elephants, Jackals, Tigers, Panthers, Gaurs, Sambars, Spotted Deers, Mongoose, Civet cats, Hyenas, Sloth Bears, and over 250 species of birds name this place their home.

 In addition to these, trees such as sandalwood, silver oak, rosewood, and teak are found in abundance here. Winter season, which starts in November and continues until February, is also considered a great time to pave your way toward this park. No wonder it is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.

Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary

Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. It consists of Koonthankulam and Kadankulam reservoirs and covers an area of ​​1.29 km2. It was declared a reserve in 1994, 31.00 kilometers from Tirunelveli, Koonthankulam, or Kunthankulam.  

It is the largest waterfowl breeding sanctuary in South India and one of the most popular spots in Tirunelveli for bird lovers. This shrine is actively protected and managed by the Koonthankulam village community. This sanctuary is a major birding site in Tamil Nadu, attracting over a million birds each year. 

Tourists visit this place in search of painted storks, which are the main attraction of the place. The Babul Plantation in Koonthankulam is the main breeding ground for several birds. Every year the reserve is visited by more than 43 species of waterfowl, both resident and migratory, especially during the months of January and February. 

They leave the nests in July and August after incubating, hatching, and raising the chicks. The painted stork, the main attraction of this village, comes here from North India and East European countries. 

Other well-known migratory bird species that visit this village are Geese, Pintail, Spotted Piper, Green Piper, Redshanks, Coots, White Stork, Flamingos, Sandblasters, Teal, and Pallavan. Moreover, it is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.

Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu

Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. It is located in the Thiruvullar district in the Tamil Nadu state of India and is the second biggest brackish water ecosystem after the popular Chilka Lake. This bird sanctuary of India draws pictures of buffs and bird watchers. 

Pulicat homes around 100 bird species, 160 species of fish, 12 species of prawn, 25 species of polychaete worms, and 19 species of mollusk, and hence attracts a large number of tourists each year. Grey herons, open-bill storks, black-headed ibis, spot-billed ducks, painted storks,s, and little egrets have usually noticed birds in this region.

 With flamingos congregating in the lagoon during the winter season, Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary transforms right into a sea of pink. The best time to go to Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is from October to March, when you can spot flocks of wintering birds in the lake. Overall it is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. 

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

Established in 1940, Mudumalai is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. In April 2007, the Tamil Nadu government declared the Mudumalai Tiger Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located on the border of Karnataka and Kerala, adjacent to Bandipur National Park in Karnataka and Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. 

The shrine is divided into 5 areas: Masinagudi, Theppakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi, and Nellakota. There is a wide variety of animal life in the park, with around 50 species of fish, 21 species of amphibian, 34 species of reptile, 200 species of bird, and 50 species of mammal. 

The park is an ideal home for several endangered and endangered species, including elephants, tigers, gaur, leopards, deer, wild dogs, etc. There are around species of birds in the park, including griffon vultures, long-billed vultures, red-crested mynas, long-tailed parrots and owls,s, etc. 

The Forest Service organizes the Elephant Safari in the Park and the Elephant Interaction Camp. Hiking is not permitted in Mudumalai. The Forest Service arranges minibus safaris & Jeep Safari to Theppakadu Park. 

The safari vehicle stops at the Moyar Watchtower for a spectacular view of Moyar Gorge & Water Falls. Morning is the best time for a game drive to see wildlife. The safari takes guests to the jungle campus which is 10km deep in the jungle. Moreover, it is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. 

Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park

Mannar Bay National Marine Park is one of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu. It covers a total area of ​​6.23 km2 and is the country’s first biosphere reserve, established in 1980. At the same time, the park is part of the third largest marine zone in the world, namely the Indian Ocean. 

A national park is a group of 21 small islands of breathtaking beauty, together with adjacent coral reefs and shallow water habitats, in Mannar Bay in the Indian Ocean. This park is also Mannar Bay Mannar’s main biosphere area.

 It stores and maintains an innumerable wealth of plants and animals in marine, tidal and coastal habitats. In addition to having three aquatic ecosystems, namely coral reefs, kelp meadows, and mangroves, the park is also home to certain salt marsh and kelp communities. 

The park’s diverse estuaries, beaches, and forests enhance its beauty and showcase nature in all its glory. Because the twenty-one islands of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park are within the Marine National Park territory, tourism and related activities are limited. 

Public access and participation in the park are limited to glass-bottom boat rides. Moreover, it is one of the top protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.

Conclusion

As for the final say, these are some of the top 10 protected wildlife areas in Tamil Nadu.  These wildlife areas have amazing flora and fauna. These parks also protect endangered wildlife and also an incredible experience for people to view animals and how they live.