National Parks In India

Mudumalai National Park

Now the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is declared as the Tiger Reserve, and likes on the Nilgiri Hill’s northwestern side, in the District of Nilgiri and is around 150 km i.e., 93 mi on Coimbatore’s north-west side in Tamil Nadu’s western part, on South Indian Kerala and Karnataka states interstate boundaries.

The sanctuary’s area is 321 sq kms with the National Park’s area about 108 sq km.  It lies 76o 30’ E to 76o 45’ E and 11o 30’ N to 11o 42’ N and 76o 30’ E to 76o 45’ E. Altitude is from 100’ MSL to 1200’ MSL.

This sanctuary is said to be the first in South India which was established in 1940. Covering an area of about 321 sq kms consisting of the pristine tropical wilderness. It covers an area of 321 Sq. Km. comprising of pristine tropical wilderness. The place is said to be rich in bio-diversity especially birds or avifauna. This is separated by the river Moyar which flows along the Karnataka & Tamil Nadu’s border. The highway of Mysore – Ooty runs along the park. People from all over the globe come to see the  wildlife at Mudumalai forest. In order to accommodate the huge tourist crowd the Department of Indian Forest which is located in the Mudumalai National Park has created many forest lodges and wildlife resorts in the Mudumalai forest.

General Information

State	Tamil Nadu
District(s)	Nilgiri
Established	1940
Nearest city	Udhagamandalam (Ooty)
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
Elevation	1,266 m (4,154 ft)
Climate
Precipitation	2,000 millimetres (79 in)
Temperature
Summer	33 °C (91 °F)
Winter	14 °C (57 °F)

History

At Tamil Nadu’s tri-junction the Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is situated, Karnataka and Kerala on the Nilgiri’s North Eastern Slopes a part of the Western Ghats coming down to Mysore Plateau. In early 1940’s the then Presidency of Madras declared Mudumalai as wildlife sanctuary with about an area of 62 sq km. With the Kerala’s Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary in west and Karnataka’s Bandipur Tiger Reserve on north this provides a continuous single habitat for a range of the wildlife and forms the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve’s part.  The southwest monsoon is received by the Mudumalai’s western half, north east monsoon are received by eastern tracts resulting in herbivores typical migration and diversity of vegetation.

Flora:  The deciduous Tropical vegetation which is moist towards the sanctuary’s western side makes way for the thorn scrub and the dry deciduous by the east. It is diversified with Bamboo, Elephat grass which is called tall grass, valuable timbers like the Rosewood, Teak, Venteak, Vengai, Mathi and shrubs like the Indian Laburnum, Coral trees and Flame of forest and good flowering trees. Diversity is added by swamp and Riverine patches. Among the bearers of fruits are many types of wild Figs, nelli, jamun and jujube.

Fauna: It is nice to see the Gaur, Elephant, Mouse deer, Sloth bear and Chowsingha here. The animals also includes Panther, Tiger, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Blackbuck, Barking Deer, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Common Langur, Four horned Antelope or Chowsingha, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Jackal, Wild Dog, Mongoose, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Mongoose, Leopard Cat Striped Hyena, Rusty Spotted Cat Small Indian Civet, Leopard-cat, Ruddy Mongoose, Striped-necked Mongoose, Sloth Bear, Indian Giant Squirrel, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Porcupine, Wild Boar, Slender Lories, Striped Hyena, Slender Lories etc. Though the Tigers are elusive largely the pack of Wild Dog or leopards are more often seen.

The Reptiles: In Tamil Nadu’s picturesque surrounding is found the Mudumalai forest. A part of the Mudumalai National Park’s is Nilgiri Hills, and is Nilgiri’s Biosphere Reserve’s component.

The population of the reptiles in Mudumalai National Park is mostly the Pythons and Crocodiles.

Other reptiles which are found majorly in the park are Bamboo Pit Snake and Common Krait.

The park also has amphibians, frogs and turtles.

The sanctuary can be covered by trained elephants or cars provided on hire by the Forest Department.

Detailed Information In Regards To The Best Time For Visiting This

From February till May and September till October is the best time.  The months from late January till early April is the best time for the wildlife enthusiasts.

Distance from the Mudumalai National Park

Nearest Railway Station: Ooty – 67 Kms.

Mysore: 90 Kms

Coimbatore: 160 Kms

Bangalore: 245 Kms

How To Get There

By Road

The Sanctuary has well connected National Highways. All the buses from Mysore to Ooty halt at Reception Centre Theppakkadu.

From Ooty this place has two different routes.

One route is via Kallatty which is 36kms from Ooty with 36 hairpin bends via the natural forests.

Via Gudalur is the other route which is at a distance of 67kms from Ooty.  By road this is 91kms from Mysore.

By Air

Coimbatore: 160 Kms

Bangalore: 245 Kms

Things To Do In - National Park

In the Nilgiris foothills, the park which is spread over 321 sqkm is like the painting of the Indian classical landscape life given sans trash, slender trees and light colored leaves hiding the spotted chital deer & also the slow gaur or Indian bison herds. If you are lucky you can get the glimpse of the tigers in the hills.

Place Of Interest

In the Mudumalai Range, in 1972 the Theppakkadu Elephant Camp got established which in 1942 became Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. Nearby to Mudumalai game its predecessor served as Range Headquarters got established near to Mudumalai game hut and shifted later to Theppakadu.

The capturing of the elephant was taken by The Forest Department from 1889 onward by conventional Pit Method in Madras Presidency, mainly for building up the elephant’s work force required for the extraction of timber. The capturing of elephants operation in Anamallais where most of the area cleared for the teak planting was taken up. To meet working elephant’s demands 600+ elephants were captured till 1972. Elephant capturing in Mudumalai was taken up in the year 1910 and lasted till 1953. In order to train newly captured elephants the need to build permanent Camp Sites with the necessary infrastructure like ‘Kraals” was needed. Extra elephants and the elephants which were not fit for the timber extraction were disposed by auction sales.

The elephant camps got established when the local tribal people were used as elephant handlers. The reason behind this was because they were experts in jungles and due to their long association in training and capturing the elephants in the traditional way. Till date the local tribals are considered as backbone in training, capturing and handling the elephants in forest department. Few of the tribals who have the traditional knowledge in regards to the art of training, handling and capturing of elephants are kadars of Anamallais, the Pullayars, the Malasars and The Kurubas in Mudumalai.

Location Map

Accommodation

Accommodations here are good. Accommodations and visit bookings are done at the Wildlife Office Warden, Ooty.

Youth Hostel (TTDC), Thepakadu, Mudumalai, Tamil Nadu, India – Ph: 256249

Abhayaranyam, Forest Guest House, Theppkadu, Mudumalai, Tamilnadu, India – Ph: 244098, 256235

Monarch Safari Park, Bokkapuram, Mudumalai Tamilnadu India – Ph: 256250, 256343

Jungle Hut, Bokkapuram, Mudumalai, Tamilnadu, India – Ph: 256240, 254340 

Weather

Rainfall varies from 800 to 2000mm. Temperature differs from 140 C - 330C.

Photo Gallery