|
Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary is a scrub forest area that is spread over 16.41 sq km. This sanctuary is situated in the Thoothukudi District. Thoothukudi District is situated in the extreme southeastern corner of Tamil Nadu. It is surrounded by the districts of Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, and Ramanathapuram, and southeast by Gulf of Mannar and on the west and south-west by Tirunelveli District. The city is also known as "Pearl City". Thuthukudi is a seaport city, which serves southern Tamil Nadu, including the inland cities of Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli. It is one of the oldest cities in India.
Blackbuck, Spotted Deer, Macaques, Jungle cat, Mongoose and wild hares are the fauna that be seen in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary, in plenty in this reserve.
Originally Blackbucks were spread over large tracts of India but today the Black Buck population is confined to small parts of india, like Tamil Nadu Sanctuaries . The original habitat of Blackbucks is open plain and not dense jungles. On the open plain the black buck is one of the swiftest animals.
The diet of the black buck consists mostly of grasses, although it does eat pods, flowers and fruits too. The maximum life span of Blackbucks is 16 years and the average is 12 years.
The Spotted Deer is the most common of the deer family in India. It is found across the entire country except in the extreme northern regions. They move in large herds of 30 - 50 females with a few stags. Spotted Deers are one of the favourite prey species of predators such as tigers and leopards, they give birth to a single fawn at a time, but their population is quite abundant.
Their diet consists of all kinds of vegetation and they also eat the antlers that they shed, for their rich nutrients.
The primary vegetation of Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary are Scrub forests. Scrub forests are characterized by having mild winters with abundant rainfall, followed by dry summers. The plant life remains dormant during the dry summer months. The landscape consist of short, drought resistant pine or scrub oak trees that grow 1 to 3 meters tall. Both deciduous and evergreen trees are found in scrub forests.
Many of the plant species in scrub forests have adapted to survive in drought and fire. These plants have hard, waxy leaves that help the plant retain moisture.
Much of the Tamil Nadu Sanctuaries within the tropical climate experiences hot and humid weather. There is abundant rainfall due to the active vertical uplift of air that takes place there, and during certain periods, thunderstorms can occur every day. Nevertheless, this belt of forests still receives considerable sunshine, and with the excessive rainfall, provides ideal growing conditions for luxuriant vegetation.
Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary can be visited through out the year.
Wildlife in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary
Birds in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary
Flora in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary
|
