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Blackbuck, Spotted Deer, Macaques, Jungle cat, Mongoose and wild hares are the fauna that can be seen in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary, in plenty.
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 are move in large herds of 30 - 50 females with a few stags. They grow to a height of approximately 90 cm and weigh up to 85 kgs. Their life expectancy ranges from 20 - 30 years. 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.
Indian Mongooses are native to Southeast Asia. They have long bodies, short legs and small rounded ears. Males are larger than females.
The structure of the teeth and feet of Indian mongooses reveal the diet. The small Indian Mongoose has teeth used to cut flesh. Their feet have four or five digits each having a long claw for digging.
Most mongooses feed on small vertebrates, insects and other invertebrates, and occasionally fruits. In the Zoo they are fed dead chicks and dog chow.
Jungle cat in India and South East Asia inhabits a good range of habitats like the tropical deciduous and evergreen forest. However, the jungle cat is not found in the denser tropical rain forests. The jungle cat is not a shy creature and can be often found close to human habitation, hunting in crop fields and plantations for small rodents in Sanctuaries.
The jungle cat can be distinguished from other wild cat species within its range by its long legs and uniform coat colour, which ranges from sandy yellow to reddish brown
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
Much of the Tamil Nadu Sanctuaries within the tropical climate experiences hot and humid weather and with the excessive rainfall, it becomes the ideal growing grounds for luxuriant vegetation.
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