The Forest Department has initiated a comprehensive plan to control the rapidly spreading invasive species, Senna spectabilis, in the buffer zone of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), located in the Nilgiris hill district. The pervasive weeds like Senna spectabilis, Lantana camara, and wattle have swallowed significant portions of Nilgiris. These invasive species pose a threat to local biodiversity as they crowd out native species and reduce the availability of food for wildlife.
About Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Positioned at the intersection of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, MTR is part of the Nilgiris District in Tamil Nadu. It shares its boundaries with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) and Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka), forming an extensive landscape for flagship species like tigers and Asian elephants. MTR is one of the 14 Indian tiger reserves awarded with Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) status for effective management. The climate here ranges from cold in December and January to hot in March and April.
Flora and Fauna of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
MTR boasts of tall grasses often referred to as “Elephant Grass”, giant bamboo species, and valuable timber species such as teak and rosewood. The reserve houses several endemic flora. It is home to a diverse variety of animals including tigers, elephants, Indian Gaur, Panther, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Common Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Wild Dog, Mongoose, Jungle Cat, Hyena, among others. With over 260 bird species, 8% of India’s bird species are recorded here.
Tamil Nadu’s Other Tiger Reserves
Anamalai Tiger Reserve
Nestled within the Anamalai hills, this reserve is part of the Western Ghats, one of the 25 Global Biodiversity Hotspots. It consists of varied habitats such as tropical forests, shola jungles, bamboo groves, and extensive grasslands. Notable animals found here include Gaur, sloth bear, elephants, pangolin, deer, over 350 species of birds, and crocodiles in the Amaravathy dam reservoir.
Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR)
Created in 1988 by merging the contiguous Kalakkad and Mundanthurai wildlife sanctuaries, KMTR was declared as Tamil Nadu’s first tiger reserve. Located in the southern part of the Western Ghats, it consists of wet evergreen forests and acts as the catchment area for 14 rivers. KMTR is a part of Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of India’s five plant diversity and endemism centres. Apart from tigers, the forest shelters Sambar, spotted deer, elephants, leopards, wild dogs, various bird species, and reptiles.
Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
Established as a tiger reserve in 2013, it forms a crucial corridor between the Eastern and Western Ghats via the Nilgiris. As per the 2019 census, it houses 83 individual tigers and a 111-individual leopard population.
Srivilliputtur Megamalai Tiger Reserve
The newest tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu, Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR), was formed by joining the Megamalai and Srivilliputhur wildlife sanctuaries in February 2021. It lies in the Western Ghats region and shares its boundary with the Kalakkad Mundanthurai reserve. The reserve is characterized by a variety of forests – tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, dry deciduous, moist mixed deciduous woods, and grasslands.
UPSC Civil Services Examination: Previous Year Question
In the 2019 examination, candidates were asked, “Which of the following are in Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve?” Options were given and the correct answer was “Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.” This highlights the relevance of studying these reserves for competitive exams.