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There is not much difference between Mundanthurai Sanctuary and Kalakkadu, except the absence of Elephant and the Gaur. Situated in the Tirunelveli district, This 567 sq km sanctuary boasts of dry deciduous to tropical wet evergreen forests patches of pure reeds.
The vegetation here is diverse. The hilly terrain of the Western Ghats has Dry deciduous to tropical wet evergreen forests with patches of reed and dense and moist deciduous forests. This makes Mundanthurai Sanctuary one of the most attractive wildlife reserves.
Mundanthurai Sanctuary has diverse geographical features, which supports a wide variety of flora and fauna. The terrain of the Sanctuary is rolling and has narrow water streams. According to estimates, Mundanthurai Sanctuary has a forest cover of about 567 sq km, mainly comprising of thick evergreen forest. The high mountain ranges of the Western Ghats have dense cover of evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savannah grasslands. In addition, the marshy areas are full of tall grasslands, making the region one of the good habitats of large mammals. The thick vegetation of the Mundanthurai Sanctuary provides both excellent cover and nourishment.
The annual rainfall here Varies from below 1000 mm in lower reaches to nearly 4000 mm in the hills.
The various species of birds in Mundanthurai Sanctuary are: -
Whistling Thrust, Emerald Dove, Green Pigeon, Tickell's Flower Pecker, Rufus Wood Pecker, Rose Ringed Parakeet, Black Eagle, Great Indian Malabar pied, Horn Bill, Fiary Blue Bird, Green Billed Malkhoha and more.
Animal, which roam in the Sanctuary, are Tiger; Bonnet macaque, Langurs, Slender Loris, Sloth Bear, Sambhar, Chital and wild dog to name a very few. It is an excellent natural habitat for various species of fauna and varieties of reptiles and insects.
The reptile species in Mundanthurai Sanctuary includes the Marsh Crocodile, Monitor Lizard, Rock Python, Bamboo Pit Snake, Rat Snake, Wolf Snake, Vine Snake, Common Krait, and Russell's viper. The Sanctuary also has few variety of turtles, frogs are and amphibians.
The best time to visit the park is from October to January. It is suggested. It can be chilly in the winter.
Private vehicles can drive around in the park. A person can walk around the park. He can have a guide with himself and is allowed to walk in the park for a maximum of four hours
Trekking is allowed with the permission from the officials of Forest Department.
Accommodation in this Sanctuary is available at Forest Rest House at Mundanthurai, Amba Samudram and PapanasamCamp.
Wildlife in Mundanthurai Sanctuary
Birds in Mundanthurai Sanctuary
Flora in Mundanthurai Sanctuary
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