Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary - National Park
This
sanctuary is located where the Nilgiri Hills, the offshoot of the Western ghats
meet the eastern ghats. The Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary has varied mixture
of flat land, undulating parkland, open grassland, swamp, valleys and nullas.
The Moyyar river in this region forms a series of spectacular cascades on its
way. 65 Kms. away from Udhagamandalam and situated along the Udhaga-mandalam-
Mysore highway, this sanctuary could be reached from Mysore as well.
This 321 Sq.km. wide sanctuary encompasses a National Park spread in an area
of 103 sq.kms. The vegetation is varied with moist deciduous. It becomes dry
deciduous towards Bandhipur, mainly mixed forests with Bamboss (Bambusa arundinacea),
Terminalia tomontosa, Grewia, and blooming trees like Indian labumusum.Aredesia,
Solanahncea are some of the flora. The fauna include Elephants, Gaur, Bonnet
Macaque, Common langur, tigers and leopards, Chital, dhole 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, Parcupine and Mongoose.
The Birds in this sanctuary are Peacock - India's National bird, grey jungle
fowl, the red spur fowl, the grey patridge quails, goggle eyed plower, Malabar
whistling thrust, large racket-tailed dronge, the shama, the magpie-robin, spotted
babbler, small green barbet, green pigeons, little brown dove, malabar grey
hornbill, bulbuls, mynahs, etc. Birds of prey like eagles, hawks, falcons and
king vulture and some migratory water birds can be watched.
From Udhagamandalam you can (Base camp at Parson's Valley) trek to this sanctuary
and the mukkurthi Park.
