National Parks In India

Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park

Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS&NP) is a protected area found in the Hills of Anaimalai of Pollachi, Udumalpet taluks, Valparai in the Coimbatore district, Tamilnadu. The park got its name from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who visited this park on 7th October, 1961. It is sometimes referred to as "Top slip", a village found in the northeastern part of the park and is the main center for visitors. This name was taken from the local practice of sliding Teak timber logs at the bottom of the hills. The Anamalai wildlife sanctuary consists of different types of faunal species like elephant, Panther, Gaur, tiger, Sloth Bear, Deer, Porcupine, Wild Bear, Wild Dog, Jackal, Flying Squirrel, Civet Cat, Pangolin and birds includes Rocket-tailed Drongo, spotted dove, Red Tree Pie, pigeon, Whiskered Bulbul, black Headed Oriole etc. There is a reservoir called as the Amaravati reservoir found in the Anamalai, consisting of several crocodiles. It is one of three wildlife sanctuaries found in the Western Ghats of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a cool- misty mountain park that engrosses 1000 sq km of teak forest along with evergreen jungle. It is an abode to gaurs, elephants, tigers, spotted deer, panthers, wild boars, porcupines, bears and civet cats and the Nilgiri tahr called as the ibex  that might be spotted as well. The park has a well known medicinal plant garden along with interpretive centre. It is also houses tribal groups of Kada people who work here. There is also a elephant training centre found on the guided vehicle tour.

General Information

State	Tamil Nadu, India
District(s)	Coimbatore district
Established	1976
Nearest city	Coimbatore
Time Zone
Area	over an area of 958 sq.km
Elevation
Climate
Precipitation	500mm-4500mm
Temperature	25 °C (77 °F)- 2 °C (36 °F)

History

There were enormous tea and coffee plantations in the large tracts of Valparai Plateau of the Anamalai by the mid 1800 after deforestation of natural forests. The two-thirds of the plantations belonged to Europeans by 1866 and the remaining to Indians living in coastal areas. Since the major population of inhabitants either denied to work or was not efficient so the labor for plantations was taken from the plains of Tamil Nadu for clearing forests and growing coffee.

Few parts of the forest were however reserved for timber that includes large areas surrounding Top Slip. This portion of the Western Ghats, under the Bombay Presidency got exploited for teak which was provided to the Bombay Dockyard for the purpose of ship-building and for railroad ties later.

The Park along with the Sanctuary comes under consideration of UNESCO orest Department. The protection of the Karian Sholas was also assured in the early 1900s.The area was declared as Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the year 1974. Among the habitats - Karian Shola, Manjampatti Valley, grass Hills were notified as National Park in 1989. The national Park of 108 square kilometers (42 sq mi) having the core area of 958 square kilometers in Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, it was declared as a World Heritage site. The Anaimalai Conservation area covers the Sanctuary and the Palni Hills in district of Dindigul.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to tour the Park is from May to January. The visiting hours are from 6 am to 6 pm. The Park draws a large number of tourists at the complex of Top Slip that has various cottages, dormitories and rooms for visitors. Visitors move around the park by trekking or through a safari van.

Distance From - National Park

Coimbatore to Pollachi (40 km)

Vaalparai (65 km )

How To Get There

Get there by road from Coimbatore to Pollachi (40 km) to the Wildlife Warden's Office for availing visitor permit and then by road to Top Slip (35 km), or to Udumalpet (40 km - Amaravathi and Udumalpet range), or to Vaalparai (65 km - Vaalparai and Manamboly range).

Things To Do In - National Park

There are various places having picturesque views in the Annamalai wildlife sanctuary. Few of them may be grass hills, groves, Karianshola, waterfalls, Anaikunthi Shola, teak forests, dams and reservoirs. There are arrangements made for exploring this sanctuary on back of elephant or by van. The Parambikulam Wildlife sanctuary is another spot which provides similar Wildlife safari experiences and can be approached through Topslip from Pollachi or Anamalai. The personnel of Kerala Border Checkpost permit only Batches of 18 People to enter the Border and one batch could be accommodated for a Safari Tour. Therefore, one has to wait for other Vehicles as well as Tourists to join and make up the number.

Location Map

Accommodation

For Additional Information:

Dy. Conservator of forest
Sanjay Gandhi National Park,
Borivali (E), Mumbai - 400 066

Tel.: 91-22-8860362; 91-22-8860389

Weather

The mercury varies from 14oC – 32oC during March to October and to 6oC-24oC during November to February.