Magnificent MUDUMALAI

The protection and upliftment of the Mudumalai ecosystem is crucial to the survival of the wildlife the landscape nurtures.

-  DR VAITHIANATHAN KANNAN

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, located on the north-western side of the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu, was once used for big game shooting, and during World War II, the forest operated as a training camp for soldiers to be sent to Burma (presently Myanmar). It shares its northern boundary with the Bandipur National Park, the western with the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and its southern border with the Mukurthi and Silent Valley national parks.

Mudumalai has been a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve since 1986 (the first Biosphere Reserve in India), was legally designated a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1990, and a National Park in 2005. This large landscape, with its moderate climate, is an elephant Reserve (ER) – the first and foremost Elephant Corridor of the country – supporting about 28003000 elephants; and the 35th Tiger Reserve in India (third in Tamil Nadu), under Project Tiger, for containing the largest wild population of tigers globally (100 tigers). The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) serves as a corridor connecting the Nilgiris with the Eastern Ghats, an important pathway for wild animals, especially for the migrating elephants. The general terrain of this Reserve is undulating. Konbetta of the Segur range is the highest peak in MTR, located at a height of 2,065 m. The Moyar River, originating from the Nilgiri Mountain, meanders through the Reserve for a distance of about 35 km and is the major water source for wildlife and the people living in and around the area. Several seasonal streams join the Moyar River, such as Mukurthi-halla, Sirur-halla, and so on.