About Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:
- It is located in the Southern Western Ghats.
- It includes three main sanctuaries: Kalakad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary and a part of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
- It is nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- The Agastya Malai Hill Range forms the core area of the sanctuary and is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots.
- It is also known as the “River Sanctuary”, with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
- Terrain: Undulating with several valleys and porous rocks.
- Vegetation:
- It varies from thorny shrubs to lush evergreen forests.
- It also consists of savannah woodlands, and grasslands.
- There are tea and coffee plantations within the reserve.
- Flora: Important species include Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum, druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, etc.
- Fauna:Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, sloth bear, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque, etc.
