Anamalai Tiger Reserve

Aanaimalai Tiger Reserve, earlier known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS&NP) and previously as Aanaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary, is a protected area located in the Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi and Valparai taluks of Coimbatore District and Udumalaipettai taluk in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, India. The Tamil Nadu Environment and Forests Department by a notification dated 27 June 2007,[3] declared an extent of 958.59 km2 that encompassed the erstwhile IGWLS&NP or Aanaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary, as Aanaimalai Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Reserve presently includes a core area of 958.59 km2 and buffer/peripheral area of 521.28 km2 forming a total area of 1479.87 km2.[4]

Aanaimalai Tiger Reserve
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park/Aanaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Location in Tamil Nadu, India
LocationCoimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates10.4170°N 77.0567°E / 10.4170; 77.0567
Established1976[1][2]
Governing bodyTamil Nadu Forest Department
Aanaimalai Tiger Reserve
Entrance
Athioda stream at the park
Map
Jambu Malai
Akka Malai (at rear) at top of Bison Ridge
Vulnerable Nilgiri langur at Indira Gandhi National Park

Etymology

The park is named after former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi who visited the park on 7 October 1961. The main tourist facilities are located in the northeast corner of the park at "Topslip", so named because of the local 19th century practice of sliding timber logs down the hills from here.[5]

History

By the mid-1800s, large tracts of Valparai plateau in the Anamalais were under intense tea or coffee plantations after deforestation of the natural forests. By 1866 two-thirds of the plantations were owned by Europeans and the remaining by Indians from coastal towns. Since most native inhabitants either refused to work or were inefficient workers, labour for plantations was brought from the plains of Tamil Nadu to clear forests and grow coffee.

Some parts of the forest however were reserved for timber including large areas around Top Slip. This part of the Western Ghats, under the Bombay Presidency were exploited extensively for teak which was supplied to the Bombay Dockyard for shipbuilding and later for railroad ties.[6]

In 1855, this area came under sustainable forest management for teak plantations by the pioneering efforts Douglas Hamilton and Dr. H. F. Cleghorn of the new Tamil Nadu Forest Department. In the early 1900s, protection of the Karian Sholas was also ensured (Johnsingh 2006a).[7]

The area was notified as Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary in 1974. of its unique habitats at 3 places – Karian Shola, Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley were notified as a National Park in 1989. The 108 square kilometres (42 sq mi) National Park is the core area of the 958 square kilometres (370 sq mi) Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary.[1] IGWS was declared a Project Tiger tiger reserve in 2008.

The Park and the Sanctuary is under consideration by UNESCO as part of The Western Ghats World Heritage site.[8] The Sanctuary and the Palni Hills in Dindigul District form the Aanaimalai Conservation Area.[9]

Geography

The sanctuary has six administrative ranges;
Pollachi: A southern suburban town of Coimbatore, it has Range Headquarters at Aanaimalai Farm: 109.72 square kilometres (42.36 sq mi)
Valparai: Water Falls: 171.5 square kilometres (66.2 sq mi),
Ulandy Top Slip: 75.93 square kilometres (29.32 sq mi),
Amaravathi: Amaravathi Nagar: 172.5 square kilometres (66.6 sq mi) and
Udumalpet: 290.18 square kilometres (112.04 sq mi).
IGWLS is adjacent to Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary to the west. The core area of Manjampatti Valley is a 110 km2 (42 sq mi)± drainage basin at the eastern end of the park. Manjampatti Valley is contiguous with Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary to the south and the proposed Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park to the east.

Elevation ranges between 340 metres (1,120 ft) and 2,513 metres (8,245 ft) above MSL
There are several named peaks over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in the park, including:

Local nameHeightLocation
Akka Malai2,483 metres (8,146 ft)10°20′43″N 77°4′10″E
Tangachi Malai2,380 metres (7,810 ft)10°20′46″N 77°3′38″E
Thanakku Malai2,170 metres (7,120 ft)10°22′22″N 77°4′44″E
Sadayandi Malai2,240 metres (7,350 ft)10°19′28″N 77°6′7″E
Kazhuthasuthi Malai2,250 metres (7,380 ft)10°19′38″N 77°5′21″E
Kallar Malai2,270 metres (7,450 ft)10°18′48″N 77°4′40″E
Jambu Malai1,395 metres (4,577 ft)10°15′51″N 77°15′48″E
Pappalamman Malai2,201 metres (7,221 ft)10°17′29″N 77°21′04″E
Vellari Malai2,219 metres (7,280 ft)10°15′46″N 77°20′56″E
Podu Malai2,230 metres (7,320 ft)10°18′44″N 77°5′16″E
Unknown at Kilanavayal2,350 metres (7,710 ft)10°14′55″N 77°21′22″E
Paratumba2,370 metres (7,780 ft)10°13′39″N 77°17′24″E
Kalabhaathur Malai2,066 metres (6,778 ft)10°14′09″N 77°16′13″E
Kadavaari2,112 metres (6,929 ft)10°13′40″N 77°17′24″E

Mean annual rainfall is between 500 millimetres (20 in) in the south western fringes and 4,500 millimetres (180 in) on the north east. This Sanctuary is an important watershed for the agricultural economy and power supply in other parts of Tamil Nadu. Major reservoirs like Parambikulam Reservoir, Aliyar Reservoir, Thirumurthi Reservoir, Upper Aliyar Reservoir, Kadambarai, Sholayar Dam and Amaravathi Dam are fed by the perennial rivers which originate from the Sanctuary.[1]

Tribal Communities

The IGWS has significant anthropological diversity with more than 4600 Adivasi people from six tribes of indigenous people living in 34 settlements. The tribes are the Kadars, Malasars, Malaimalasar s, Pulaiyars, Muduvars and the Eravallan (Eravalar).[10][11]

Fauna

Threatened species of mammals in the sanctuary include:

'dhole), Nilgiri tahr and lion-tailed macaque,

Animals of least concern here include: golden jackal, leopard cat, jungle cat, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, wild boar, common langur, bonnet macaque, Asian palm civet, small Indian civet, Indian gray mongoose, striped-necked mongoose, ruddy mongoose, grey slender loris, Indian giant squirrel, Indian crested porcupine, Indian pangolin, Indian porcupine and three-striped palm squirrel.

Over 250 species of birds have been identified in the park. Some of the most important groups are cormorants, ducks, teal, darter, partridge, quail, jungle fowl, spurfowl, Indian peafowl, parakeets, hornbills, barbets, drongos, orioles, shrikes, warblers, Old World flycatchers, woodpeckers, leafbird, trogons, kingfishers, storks, egrets, Lesser fish eagles, hawk eagles, harriers, falcons, kites, owls and nightjars. It is also home to the near-threatened great Indian hornbill.

It is home to 15 of 16 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats.

Amphibians and Reptiles include many rare and endemic forms. Some endemic amphibians are the ancient and elusive purple frog, toad skinned frog, thin-legged leaping frog and Forest torrent frog, Gadgil's torrent frogs, Anaimalai flying frog, bush frogs and caecilian such as the Uraeotyphlus. Reptiles include the endangered Indian rock python, King cobras, Indian monitor lizards, Malabar pit vipers, Large-scaled green pit vipers, Nilgiri keelbacks, some 20 species of curious little shield tail snakes, Large-scaled forest lizards, Nilgiri forest lizard, flying lizards, Ristella skinks forest cane turtles, and Travancore tortoises.

315 species of butterflies belonging to five families have been identified in the Anaimalai Hills. 44 are endemic to the Western Ghats.[12]

Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
IGWS&NP, Grass Hills area, Konalar Hut 10°19′22″N 77°04′17″E

The Steering Committee of Project Tiger granted approval in principle to inclusion of Indira Gandhi WLS and NP under Project Tiger in 2005.[13] IGWS was declared a Project Tiger sanctuary in 2008.[14] Continuance of Project Tiger' in Anamalai Tiger Reserve for FY 2010/11, at the cost of Rs. 23547,000, was approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority on 31 August 2010.[15]

This tiger reserve, together with the several other contiguous protected forest and grassland habitats, is the core of the Parambikulum-Indira Gandhi tiger habitat landscape complex, with tiger occupancy area of about 3,253 km2 (1,256 sq mi) and an estimated metapopulation of 42 tigers.[7]

Kozhikamudhi Elephant Camp
Tourists with Kumki elephant from Kozhikamudhi Elephant Camp after Elephant Pongal at Top Slip

Elephants were earlier trained and used at Anamalai for timber operations till felling of trees was stopped in 1972. The elephant camp has become a popular public attraction since 1976. There are 20 kumki elephants at the Kozhikamudhi Elephant Camp in the IGWSNP. There are 13 tuskers (including three calves) and seven cow elephants. The names and ages of twelve of the working elephants are: Vijayalakshmi (58), Sarada (56), Nanjan (50), Kaleem (45), Paari (31), Kalpana (30), Venkatesh (28), Karthik (27), Bharani (25), Durga (13), Rajvardhan (11) and Suyambu (4).[16]

In 1997, annual celebration of Elephant Pongal at Top Slip was begun. For Pongal, several decorated elephants stand in front of the Pongal pot to mark the commencement of the celebration. The elephants are fed chakkarai pongal, banana and sugarcane while lined up behind a barricade, so tourists can have a close look. In 2011, Elephant Pongal was celebrated on 18 January.[16]

On 24 February 2011 the Kumki Karthik was gored to death by two wild male elephants after it unchained itself in the camp and escaped into the forest. The elephant was in musth and was in search of a female companion. It was gored by the two elephants possibly because Karthik entered their habitation leading to a territorial conflict.[17]

Flora
Shola/grassland complex at Grass Hills, Indira Gandhi National Park

The park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna typical of the South Western Ghats. There are over 2000 species plants of which about 400 species are of prime medicinal value. The diverse topography and rainfall gradient allow a wide variety of vegetation comprising a mix of natural and man-made habitats. The former includes wet evergreen forest and semi-evergreen forest, montane shola-grassland, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, thorn forests and marshes. Tropical wet evergreen forest is found at an altitude of 600m to 1,600m.

Tropical montane forests occur at higher elevations and are interspersed with montane grasslands, forming the shola-grassland complex. Much of the original evergreen forest now contains introduced teak plantations. Bamboo stands and reeds occur in the natural forests. Tree cover is provided by Hopea parviflora, Mesua ferrea, Calophyllum tomentosum, Vateria indica, Cullenia excelsa and Mangifera indica, Machilus macrantha, Alstonia scholaris, Evodia meliaefolia, Ailanthus and Malabaricum and Eucalyptus grandis. The area is home to Podocarpus wallichianus, a rare South Indian species of conifer.[1]

Visitor information
A lodge at Top Slip

The IGWLS is managed by the Wildlife Warden and falls within the administrative control of the Coimbatore Forest Circle headed by the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore. The park has a large tourist complex at Top Slip that houses many cottages, rooms, and dormitories for visitors. Visitors can get around the park by trekking and a safari van.[1][5]

References
  1. "Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park". Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  2. Sen, Sumit K. "Top Slip Indira Gandhi National Park". Birds of India. Kolkata: Sumit K Sen. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  3. Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, Part II—Section 2, No. II(2)/EF/333/2007, dated 27 June 2007, page 240.
  4. "Aanaimalai Tiger Reserve". National Tiger Conservation Authority. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  5. National Geographic Channel, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK, Indira Gandhi National Park
  6. Government of India, "Bombay Dock", Early History (Indian Navy), National Informatics Center, archived from the original on 10 March 2010, retrieved 14 March 2012
  7. Jhala Y.V., Q.Qureshi, R.Gopal, and P.R.Sinha (Eds.) (2011). "Status of the Tigers, Co-predators, and Prey in India" (PDF). 2011: National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: location (link)
  8. UNESCO, World Heritage sites, Tentative lists, Western Ghats sub cluster, Anamalai, 2007.
  9. Sajeev T.K.; et al., "Management of Forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forest Productivity- A New Perspective" (PDF), Volume III Anaimalai Conservation Area (ACA), WII-USDA Forest Service Collaborative Project Grant No. FG-In-780 (In-FS-120), pp. 169–190., archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2005
  10. "Tribes of the Anamalais", Discover Wild – Care for the Anamalais, archived from the original on 26 July 2011, retrieved 14 May 2007
  11. Sajeev T.K.; et al., "Management of Forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forest Productivity- A New Perspective" (PDF), Volume III Anaimalai Conservation Area (ACA), WII-USDA Forest Service Collaborative Project Grant No. FG-In-780 (In-FS-120), pp. 169–190., archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2005
  12. Discover Wild – Care for the Anamalais, retrieved 14 May 2007 the INDIRA GANDHI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY & NATIONAL PARK Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Protected Area Update (Oct. 2005) "New Tiger Reserves" (No. 57) p.17 Archived 17 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  14. "Eight New Tiger Reserves". Press Release. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
  15. Dr. Rajesh Gopal, APCCF (PT) and Member Secretary (NTCA) (31 August 2010), "Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme 'Project Tiger' Administrative Approval for funds release to Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu during 2010–11." (PDF), No. 4-1(32)/2010-PT, New Delhi: National Tiger Conservation Authority, archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2011, retrieved 2 February 2011
  16. V.S. Palaniappan (19 January 2011), "Jumbos in all majesty at Top Slip", The Hindu, Chennai: Kasturi & Sons Ltd, retrieved 10 February 2011
  17. "Kumki elephant gored to death", The Hindu, Chennai: Kasturi & Sons Ltd, 25 January 2011, archived from the original on 26 February 2011, retrieved 25 February 2011

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