Mudumalai National Park is a

national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...

in the Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu, south India. It covers at an elevation range of in the

Nilgiri District The Nilgiris district () is one of the 38 districts in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri ( en, Blue Mountains) is the name given to a range of mountains spread across the borders among the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Ke ...

and shares boundaries with the states of Karnataka and Kerala. A part of this area has been protected since 1940. The national park has been part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve since 1986 and was declared a

tiger reserve Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protectin ...

together with a buffer zone of in 2007. It receives an annual rainfall of about and harbours tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests with 498 plant species, at least 266 bird species, 18 carnivore and 10

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

species. It is drained by the

Moyar River The Mayar River is one of the tributaries of the Bhavani in Tamil Nadu, South India. The Mayar river originates from a small town called Mayar off the Masinagudi–Ooty road. This is a natural line of separation between the state of Karnataka a ...

and several tributaries, which harbour 38 fish species. Traffic on three public roads passing through the national park has caused significant

roadkill Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by drivers of motor vehicles on highways. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how it can be mi ...

s of mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The park's northern part has been affected by several wildfires since 1999.

History

The word Mudumalai is a Tamil word with 'mutu' meaning old, ancient, original; and 'mudhukadu' meaning ancient forest. The word 'malai' means hill or mountain. The name 'Mudumalai forest' was already in use when the British Government rented the forest in 1857 for

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...

purposes from the Raja of

Neelambur Neelambur is a suburb in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu. Neelambur is situated in the Eastern Part of Coimbatore. Neelambur is also the East-End of Coimbatore City. Neelambur lies on the Junction of Avinashi Road Avinashi Road, is an arteri ...

. In 1914, large forest tracts on the

Sigur Plateau Sigur Plateau (Segur Plateau) is a plateau in the north and east of Nilgiri District in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, South India. It covers the portion of the Moyar River drainage basin on the northern slopes of the Nilgiri Hills, south of t ...

were declared as reserve forest for systematic logging. An area of about was established as Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in 1940. The sanctuary was enlarged in 1977 and incorporated into Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986. It was declared as a

Tiger Reserve Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protectin ...

under Project Tiger in April 2007 and notified as 'Critical Tiger Habitat' in December 2007. At the time, 1947 people lived in 28 hamlets inside the reserve; they kept about 1,060 cattle. In 2010, it was proposed to resettle them. This notification was criticised by activists and conservationists as having been intransparent and undemocratic. In 2010, the

National Tiger Conservation Authority The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established in December 2005, following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganised management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Re ...

approved the release of funds to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the frame of Project Tiger. In 2020, Project Tiger has been extended until 2021 with funding of 114.1 million borne by the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Geography

Mudumalai National Park covers in the eastern hills of the Western Ghats at an elevation range of ; it is bordered in the west by Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, in the north by

Bandipur National Park Bandipur National Park is a national park covering in Chamarajnagar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It was established as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1973. It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve since 1986. History ...

and in the east by Sigur

Reserve Forest A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

. In the south, it is bordered by Singara Reserve Forest. The

enters the national park in the south and is joined by five tributaries. Together they drain this area, and several artificial waterholes provide drinking water for wildlife during dry seasons. The original national park area together with a surrounding

buffer zone A buffer zone is a neutral zonal area that lies between two or more bodies of land, usually pertaining to countries. Depending on the type of buffer zone, it may serve to separate regions or conjoin them. Common types of buffer zones are demil ...

of was designated as the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The elevation range of in the Western Ghats is characterised by evergreen forest with dipterocarp species prevailing. Its undulating hills consist mostly of hornblendite and

biotite gneiss Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...

with black sandy

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...

; red heavy loam prevails in the southern part. It is part of the ecoregion South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests. Mudumalai National Park and the adjacent Sigur Reserve Forest form an important wildlife corridor within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and provide the highest

landscape connectivity In landscape ecology, landscape connectivity is, broadly, "''the degree to which the landscape facilitates or impedes movement among resource patches''". Alternatively, connectivity may be a continuous property of the landscape and independent of p ...

for the Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus'') population in the region.

Climate

Mudumalai National Park receives about rainfall annually, most of it during the southwest monsoon season from June to September. The temperature drops during the cool season from December to January, but rises during April to June, which are the hottest months. Annual precipitation ranges from in the south and west to in the east.

Flora

Jungle trek, Wild planet resort, Mudumalai 10

Mudumalai National Park harbours tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. The floral diversity comprises 498 plant species including 154 tree, 77

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

, 214

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

and 53 vine species. Teak ''(Tectona grandis)'' and axlewood ''(

Anogeissus latifolia ''Anogeissus latifolia'' is a species of small to medium-sized tree native to the India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Its common names are axlewood (English), ''bakli, baajhi, dhau, dhawa, dhawra'', or ''dhaora'' (Hindi), ''takhian-nu'' (Thai) ...

)'' are the dominant tree species with a density of more than . Prominent tree species include flame-of-the-forest ''(

Butea monosperma ''Butea monosperma'' is a species of '' Butea'' native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of the South Asia and Southeast Asia, ranging across Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysi ...

)'', Indian laurel ''( Terminalia elliptica)'', kusum tree ''(

Schleichera ''Schleichera'' is a monotypic genus of plants in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. There is only one species, ''Schleichera oleosa'', a tree that occurs in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Species ''Schleichera oleosa'', kusum tr ...

oleosa)'', weaver's beam tree ''(

Schrebera swietenioides ''Schrebera swietenioides'' is a flowering plant in the family Oleaceae found in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. It prefers dry forests. It is commonly known as weaver's beam tree. Other names are mala plasu, muskkakavrks ...

)'', Malabar kino tree ''( Pterocarpus marsupium)'', Indian rosewood ''( Dalbergia latifolia)'', Malabar plum ''(

Syzygium cumini ''Syzygium cumini'', commonly known as Malabar plum, Java plum, black plum, jamun, jaman, jambul, or jambolan, is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae, and favored for its fruit, timber, and ornamental value. It is ...

)'', silk-cotton tree ''( Bombax ceiba)'' and Indian beech ''( Millettia pinnata)''; moist deciduous forest is interspersed with giant thorny bamboo ''( Bambusa bambos)''. Mango ''( Mangifera indica)'' and persimmon ''( Diospyros)'' grow along river courses. Climbers include orange climber ''(

Zanthoxylum asiaticum ''Zanthoxylum asiaticum'' is a species of plant in the family Rutaceae. Under its synonym ''Toddalia asiatica'', it was the only species in the monotypic genus ''Toddalia'', now included in ''Zanthoxylum''. It is known by the English name orange c ...

)'', '' Dregea volubilis'', frangipani vine ''(

Chonemorpha fragrans ''Chonemorpha fragrans'', the frangipani vine or climbing frangipani, is a plant species in the genus '' Chonemorpha''. It is a vigorous, generally evergreen, climbing shrub producing stems or more long that can climb to the tops of the tallest ...

)'', trellis-vine ''( Pergularia daemia)'', purple morning glory ''(

Argyreia cuneata ''Argyreia cuneata'' is a perennial climbing shrub which is native to the Indian subcontinent and is related to ''Argyreia nervosa''. Common names include purple morning glory, mahalungi, and kallana gida. Description ''Argyreia cuneata'' is a ...

)'', striped cucumber ''( Diplocyclos palmatus)'' and several

jasmine Jasmine ( taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultiva ...

species. Ceylon satinwood ''( Chloroxylon swietenia)'', red cedar ''( Erythroxylum monogynum)'' and catechu ''( Senegalia catechu)'' are the dominant plants in

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...

patches. '' Lantana camara'' is an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

that negatively affects the dispersal of the native Indian gooseberry ''( Phyllanthus emblica)'' and ''

Kydia calycina ''Kydia calycina'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Kydia'' found in the Indian subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia. A fastgrowing, mediumsized tree, it is widely exploited, even cultivated, for cheap timber and fiber. ...

'', but does not affect growth and dispersal of other shrubs. A study on nesting behaviour of birds revealed that red-vented bulbul ''(Pycnonotus cafer)'' and red-whiskered bulbul ''(P. jocosus)'' prefer its top canopy level for building nests in spring. An exceptionally large arjun tree ''( Terminalia arjuna)'' with a height of and a girth of was detected in the Moyar River valley in 2019; it was used by white-rumped vulture ''(Gyps bengalensis)'', brown fish owl ''(Ketupa zeylonensis)'', spot-bellied eagle-owl ''(Bubo nipalensis)'',

crested honey buzzard The crested honey buzzard (''Pernis ptilorhynchus'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. ''Pernis ptilorhynchus'' has 6 subspecies. The size ranges b ...

''(Pernis ptilorhynchus)'', changeable hawk-eagle ''(Nisaetus cirrhatus)'' and shikra ''(Accipiter badius)'' for roosting.

Fauna

During the major flowering season, 394 nests of the giant honey bee ('' Apis dorsata'') were detected in the park between January and June 2007;

bee colonies A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus ''Honey bee, Apis'' live and raise their young. Though the word ''beehive'' is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional l ...

comprised an average of 19 nests, mostly built in large trees.

Mammals

A survey carried out between November 2008 and February 2009 revealed that about 29 Indian leopards (''Panthera pardus fusca'') and 19 Bengal tigers (''P. tigris tigris'') lived in the park's core area of . As of 2018, the tiger population in the wider Mudumalai Tiger Reserve was estimated to comprise 103 resident individuals. Jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), rusty-spotted cat (''Prionailurus rubiginosus'') and leopard cat (''P. bengalensis'') were recorded during camera trap surveys in 2010–2011 and 2018. Two dhole (''Cuon alpinus'') packs were monitored during 1989–1993 and had home ranges of ; packs comprised between four and 25 individuals during this period. Golden jackal (''Canis aureus''), striped hyena (''Hyaena hyaena'') and

Nilgiri marten The Nilgiri marten (''Martes gwatkinsii'') is the only marten species native to southern India. It lives in the hills of the Nilgiris and parts of the Western Ghats. With only around a thousand members left it is listed as Vulnerable on the ...

(''Martes gwatkinsii'') were also recorded in 2018. Scat of sloth bear (''Melursus ursinus'') collected along forest roads and animal trails contained remains of 18 plant species with golden shower ('' Cassia fistula''), Indian plum ('' Zizyphus mauritiana'') and clammy cherry ('' Cordia obliqua'') forming the bulk of its diet apart from fungus-growing termites (''

Odontotermes ''Odontotermes'', commonly known as the fungus-growing termites, is a termite genus belonging to family Termitidae, which is native to the Old World. They are most destructive in wooden homes, and are agricultural pests in the tropics and subtrop ...

''), fire ants and honey bees. Small Indian civet (''Viverricula indica''), Asian palm civet (''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus'') and

brown palm civet The brown palm civet (''Paradoxurus jerdoni'') also called the Jerdon's palm civet is a palm civet endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Taxonomy The scientific name ''Paradoxurus jerdoni'' was introduced by William Thomas Blanford in 188 ...

(''P. jerdoni'') live in both deciduous and semi-evergreen forest patches; ruddy mongoose (''Urva smithii'') lives foremost in deciduous forest, whereas

stripe-necked mongoose The stripe-necked mongoose (''Urva vitticolla'') is a mongoose species native to forests and shrublands from southern India to Sri Lanka. Characteristics It is rusty brown to grizzled grey, has a stout body and short legs, a black stripe tha ...

(''U. vitticollis'') frequents riverine areas, and Indian grey mongoose ''U. edwardsii'' open habitats. The mongooses forage foremost for pill millipedes, dung beetles, fruits, small

rodents Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are nat ...

, birds and reptiles. Smooth-coated otter (''Lutrogale perspicillata'') groups were observed along the Moyar River in 2010 and 2011. Their habitat preference was studied between 2015 and 2017; the groups preferred rocky areas near fast flowing water with loose sand and little vegetation cover. A_family_group_of_elephants_in_Mudumalai_TR_AJTJohnsingh

A_family_group_of_elephants_in_Mudumalai_TR_AJTJohnsingh

The Asian elephant is the largest

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

in the park with an estimated 536–1,001 individuals in 25 herds in 2000. Herds comprise up to 22 individuals. The gaur (''Bos gaurus'') is the largest ungulate in the park, with herds of up to 42 individuals that frequent foremost grasslands in the vicinity of water sources. The

sambar deer The sambar (''Rusa unicolor'') is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Populations have declined substantially due to severe hunting, local ins ...

(''Cervus unicolor'') forms smaller groups of up to five individuals, but also congregates in groups of up to 45 individuals in the wet season. The chital (''Axis axis'') forms large groups of at least 35 individuals, with some herds increasing to more than 100 members in the wet season. Chital, Indian spotted chevrotain (''Moschiola indica'') and Indian muntjac (''Muntiacus muntjak'') have been recorded eating fallen fruit of the Indian gooseberry in a forest monitoring plot; they are therefore considered to be the primary seed dispersers in the park. Present are also four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), Indian pangolin (''Manis crassicaudata'') and Indian crested porcupine (''Hystrix indica''). Four bonnet macaque (''Macaca radiata'') troops were studied in 1997, which ranged in size from 28 to 35 members and lived in

sympatry In biology, two related species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus frequently encounter one another. An initially interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sh ...

with gray langur (''Semnopithecus entellus'') troops. A troop in the Moyar River valley foraged on leaves, flowers and fruits of several tree and shrub species including tamarind (''Tamarindus indica''), banyan fig ('' Ficus benghalensis''), wild jujube (''

Ziziphus oenoplia ''Ziziphus oenopolia'', commonly known as the jackal jujube, small-fruited jujube or wild jujube, is a flowering plant with a broad distribution through tropical and subtropical Asia and Australasia. In India, it is mostly found in the deciduo ...

''), neem ('' Azadirachta indica''), kaayam (''

Memecylon edule ''Memecylon edule'' is a small evergreen tree native to India especially the Deccan Plateau including most of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Tamil Nadu, Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Singapore and Borneo. It is found in shores with sand or ...

'') and indigoberry ('' Randia malabarica''), but also consumed herbs,

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

s and

grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grasshopp ...

s. The range of the Indian giant squirrel (''Ratufa indica'') is continuous in the national park's moist deciduous forest; in the drier eastern part, it inhabits foremost riverine habitat with contiguous canopy. It builds nests in trees with a mean canopy height of and feeds on 25 plant species including teak, Indian laurel and ''

Grewia tiliifolia ''Grewia tiliifolia'' (syn. ''Grewia damine'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae ''sensu lato''. A tree reaching , it is found in monsoon and intermediate forest gaps and fringes of Sri Lanka, where the plant is known as "da ...

''. The Indian giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista philippensis'') inhabits foremost moist deciduous forest with old trees of a mean height, a mean density of and a canopy height of at least . In 2013, a painted bat (''Kerivoula picta'') was sighted in the eastern part of the tiger reserve.

Birds

Birds observed from 1994 to 1996 comprised 266 species; the 213 resident ones include Malabar grey hornbill (''Ocyceros griseus''), Indian grey hornbill (''O. birostris''), Indian peafowl (''Pavo cristatus''), Bonelli's eagle (''Aquila fasciata''), crested serpent eagle (''Spilornis cheela''), black eagle (''Ictinaetus malaiensis''), besra (''Accipiter virgatus'') and crested goshawk (''A. trivirgatus''), white-rumped shama (''Copsychus malabaricus''), Indian roller (''Coracias benghalensis''),

greater flameback The greater flameback (''Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus'') also known as greater goldenback, large golden-backed woodpecker is a woodpecker species. It occurs widely in the northern Indian subcontinent, eastwards to southern China, the Malay Peni ...

(''Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus'') and

white-naped woodpecker The white-naped woodpecker (''Chrysocolaptes festivus'') is woodpecker which is a widespread but a scarce breeder in the Indian Subcontinent. It is associated with open forest and scrub with some trees. It nests in a tree hole, laying one or tw ...

(''C. festivus''), black-rumped flameback (''Dinopium benghalense''), white-bellied woodpecker (''Dryocopus javensis''),

heart-spotted woodpecker The heart-spotted woodpecker (''Hemicircus canente'') is a species of bird in the Picidae, woodpecker family. It has a contrasting black and white plumage, a distinctively stubby body and a large wedge-shaped head making it easy to identify while ...

(''Hemicircus canente''), rufous woodpecker (''Micropternus brachyurus''), greater racket-tailed drongo (''Dicrurus paradiseus''), grey-bellied cuckoo (''Cacomantis passerinus'') and Indian cuckoo (''Cuculus micropterus''),

coppersmith barbet The coppersmith barbet (''Psilopogon haemacephalus''), also called crimson-breasted barbet and coppersmith, is an Asian barbet with crimson forehead and throat, known for its metronomic call that sounds similar to a coppersmith striking metal wi ...

(''Psilopogon haemacephalus''), white-cheeked barbet (''P. viridis'') and brown-headed barbet (''P. zeylanicus''), grey francolin (''Ortygornis pondicerianus''),

speckled piculet The speckled piculet (''Picumnus innominatus'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It was defined by Burton in 1836. Description The male and female birds look alike. They have olive-green backs, with two white stripes on the side of t ...

(''Picumnus innominatus''), Indian pond heron (''Ardeola grayii''), white-throated kingfisher (''Halcyon smyrnensis''), blue-winged parakeet (''Psittacula columboides''), Nilgiri wood pigeon (''Columba elphinstonii''), common emerald dove (''Chalcophaps indica''),

yellow-footed pigeon The yellow-footed green pigeon (''Treron phoenicopterus''), also known as yellow-legged green pigeon, is a common species of green pigeon found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia.It is the state bird of Maharashtra.

(''Treron phoenicoptera''), red spurfowl (''Galloperdix spadicea'') and

grey junglefowl The gray junglefowl (''Gallus sonneratii''), also known as Sonnerat's junglefowl, is one of the wild ancestors of the Chicken, domestic chicken together with the red junglefowl and other junglefowls. The species epithet commemorates the French e ...

(''Gallus sonneratii''), painted bush quail (''Perdicula erythrorhyncha''),

crimson-backed sunbird The crimson-backed sunbird or small sunbird (''Leptocoma minima'') is a sunbird endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Like other sunbirds, they feed mainly on nectar although they take insects, especially to feed their young. They are tiny bird ...

(''Leptocoma minima''),

Loten's sunbird Loten's sunbird (''Cinnyris lotenius''), also known as the long-billed sunbird or maroon-breasted sunbird, is a sunbird endemic to peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Named after Joan Gideon Loten, who was the Dutch governor of colonial Ceylon, it is ...

(''Cinnyris lotenius''),

forest wagtail The forest wagtail (''Dendronanthus indicus'') is a medium-sized passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae. It has a distinctive plumage that sets it apart from other wagtails and has the habit of wagging its tail sideways unlike the usua ...

(''Dendronanthus indicus''), white-browed wagtail (''Motacilla maderaspatensis'')

black-and-orange flycatcher The black-and-orange flycatcher (''Ficedula nigrorufa'') or black-and-rufous flycatcher is a species of flycatcher endemic to the central and southern Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and Palni hill ranges in southern India. It is unique among the ...

(''Ficedula nigrorufa''), Eurasian golden oriole (''Oriolus oriolus'') and black-hooded oriole (''O. xanthornus''). In 2004, pin-striped tit-babblers (''Mixornis gularis'') were observed in a dry stream bed outside the protected area. December to March is the breeding season of

yellow-crowned woodpecker The yellow-crowned woodpecker (''Leiopicus mahrattensis'') or Mahratta woodpecker is a species of small pied woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Leiopicus''. Taxonomy The yellow-crowned woo ...

(''Leiopicus mahrattensis''), streak-throated woodpecker (''Picus xanthopygaeus''), yellow-throated sparrow (''Gymnoris xanthocollis''), blue-bearded bee-eater (''Nyctyornis atherton''),

Indian robin The Indian robin (''Copsychus fulicatus'')Rasmussen & Anderton emend the species epithet from ''fulicata'' to ''fulicatus'' since ''Saxicola'' is masculine and the ''-oides'' ending is always masculine according to ICZN Code 30.1.4.4ICZN Code. See ...

(''Saxicoloides fulicatus''), scaly-breasted munia (''Lonchura punctulata'') and

white-rumped munia The white-rumped munia (''Lonchura striata'') or white-rumped mannikin, sometimes called striated finch in aviculture, is a small passerine bird from the family (biology), family of waxbill "finches" (Estrildidae). These are not close relatives o ...

(''L. striata''). Spot-bellied eagle-owl,

Oriental scops owl The oriental scops owl (''Otus sunia'') is a species of scops owl found in eastern and southern Asia. Description This is a small, variably plumaged, yellow-eyed owl with ear-tufts which are not always erect. It can be distinguished from the c ...

(''Otus sunia''),

brown boobook The brown boobook (''Ninox scutulata''), also known as the brown hawk-owl, is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal east to western Indonesia and south China. This species is a part of the ...

(''Ninox scutulata'') and jungle owlet (''Glaucidium radiatum'') are known night birds in the region. A juvenile cinereous vulture ''(Aegypius monachus)'' was recorded in spring 2019. The vulture populations in Moyar River valley were surveyed in March 2019. About 200 white-rumped vultures and about 30 active white-backed vulture ''(Gyps africanus)'' nests were observed; Indian vultures ''(G. indicus)'' and

red-headed vulture The red-headed vulture (''Sarcogyps calvus''), also known as the Asian king vulture, Indian black vulture or Pondicherry vulture, is an Old World vulture mainly found in the Indian subcontinent, with small disjunct populations in some parts of So ...

s ''(Sarcogyps calvus)'' were sighted at several locations. Sightings of

migrating birds Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting by ...

include

booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

''(Hieraaetus pennatus)'',

rufous-bellied eagle The rufous-bellied eagle or rufous-bellied hawk-eagle (''Lophotriorchis kienerii'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is found in the forested regions of tropical Asia. Relatively small for eagles and contrastingly patterned like ...

''(Lophotriorchis kienerii)'',

Eurasian sparrowhawk The Eurasian sparrowhawk (''Accipiter nisus''), also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred ...

''(Accipiter nisus)'',

common buzzard The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. A member of the genus ''Buteo'', it is a member of the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across ...

''(Buteo buteo)'', western marsh harrier ''(Circus aeruginosus)'' and pallid harrier ''(C. macrourus)'', cotton pygmy goose ''(Nettapus coromandelianus)'', knob-billed duck ''(Sarkidiornis melanotos)'', northern pintail ''(Anas acuta)'' and rosy starling ''(Pastor roseus)''. White storks (''Ciconia ciconia'') were observed in December 2013 and February 2014.

Reptiles

In 1992, six Indian star tortoises ''(Geochelone elegans)'' were sighted in scrubland at elevations of . An ornate flying snake ('' Chrysopelea ornata'') was observed in 2006. The mugger crocodile ''(Crocodylus palustris)'' population in Moyar River was thought to encompass about 100 individuals as of 2009. Small

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

s recorded in Mudumalai National Park comprise striped coral snake ('' Calliophis nigrescens)'', Elliot's forest lizard (''

Monilesaurus ellioti ''Monilesaurus ellioti'', also known commonly as Elliot's forest lizard, is a species of arboreal, diurnal, lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats, India. Etymology The specific name, ''ellioti'', is in h ...

)'',

Jerdon's day gecko Jerdon's day gecko (''Cnemaspis jerdonii'') is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to India and Sri Lanka. Etymology The specific name, ''jerdonii'', is in honor of British biologist Thomas C. Jerdon. ...

''(Cnemaspis jerdonii)'',

Goan day gecko The Goan day gecko (''Cnemaspis goaensis'') is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southwestern India. Geographic range ''C. goaensis'' is found in the Indian states of Goa and Karnatka. Reproduction ''C. go ...

''(C. indraneildasii)'' and Beddome's ground skink ''( Kaestlea beddomii)''. A dead Bibron's coral snake ''(

Calliophis bibroni ''Calliophis bibroni'', commonly known as Bibron's coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to India. Etymology The specific name, ''bibroni'', is in honor of Gabriel Bibron (1806–1848), Fre ...

)'' was discovered on the road in the

Theppakadu Theppakadu is a village in the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As per Census 2011, it is part of the Mudumalai village which covers and had a population of 1,694 persons in 2011. It has a reserve forest which is part of ...

area at an elevation of in August 2013, the first record since 1874. A Bengal monitor ''(Varanus bengalensis)'' was recorded in 2018. The Indian rock python ('' Python molurus'') was studied in the frame of a telemetry project in the Moyar River valley from 2017 to 2020. In February 2019, a long female Indian rock python was observed mating with two smaller males measuring .

Fish

The Moyar River and tributaries harbour 38 fish species, including Nilgiri mystus ''( Hemibagrus punctatus)'', ''

Puntius mudumalaiensis ''Puntius mudumalaiensis'' is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Puntius. It is found in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territori ...

'', '' Puntius melanostigma'',

reba carp The Reba carp ( ml, കാവേരിക്കണ്ണി) (''Cirrhinus reba'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus ''Cirrhinus ''Cirrhinus'' is a genus of fish in the family Cyprinidae, the carps and minnows. Members of this genus ...

''(Cirrhinus reba)'',

common carp The Eurasian carp or European carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), widely known as the common carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Arkive The ...

''(Cyprinus carpio)'', Deccan mahseer ''(

Tor khudree ''Tor khudree'', the Deccan mahseer, Khudree mahseer, or black mahseer, is a freshwater fish of the carp family found in major rivers and reservoirs of India and Sri Lanka. Found throughout India, following large-scale introductions of artificia ...

)'', Malabar baril ''(

Barilius gatensis ''Barilius gatensis'' is a fish in genus ''Barilius'' of the family Cyprinidae Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family. It includes the carps, the true minnows, and relatives like the barbs and barb ...

)'', mullya garra ''(

Garra mullya The mullya garra (''Garra mullya'') or sucker fish is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus '' Garra''. It is found in streams and rivers throughout India except for Assam and the Himalayas. Reports of the species from Nepal have not been ve ...

)'',

zig-zag eel The zig-zag eel (''Mastacembelus armatus''), also known as the tire-track eel, tire-track spiny eel or marbled spiny eel, is a species of Fish anatomy#Spines and rays, ray-finned, Mastacembelidae, spiny eels belonging to the genus ''Mastacembelu ...

''(Mastacembelus armatus)'' and bullseye snakehead ''(

Channa marulius ''Channa marulius'' (bullseye snakehead or great snakehead) is a large species of snakehead native to South Asia. Populations in Southeast Asia are now regarded as separate species.Adamson, E. A. S. and R. Britz (2018). The snakehead fish Channa ...

)''.

Threats

From 1979 to 2011, remains of 148 dead Asian elephants were found in the park; 50 individuals were killed by poachers. Traffic on three public roads cutting through Mudumalai National Park pose a significant threat to the park's wildlife; between December 1998 and March 1999 alone, 180 animals belonging to 40 species were killed by drivers. Between December 2006 and November 2007, 101 amphibians and 78 reptiles became

s on a stretch of the national highway passing through the park including '' Indirana'' frogs, Indian skipper frog ''( Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis)'', bronzed frog ''(

Indosylvirana temporalis ''Indosylvirana temporalis'', commonly known as the bronzed frog or Günther's golden-backed frog, is a species of true frog found in the riparian evergreen forests of the highlands of southwestern Sri Lanka. They are found abundantly on or cl ...

)'', pigmy wrinkled frog ''( Nyctibatrachus beddomii)'', Asian common toad ''( Duttaphrynus melanostictus)'', common green forest lizard ''(

Calotes calotes ''Calotes calotes'', the common green forest lizard, is an agamid lizard found in the forests of the Western Ghats and the Shevaroy Hills in India, and Sri Lanka. Description ''Calotes calotes'' is a considerably large species of agamid, meas ...

)'',

Blanford's rock agama Blanford's rock agama (''Psammophilus blanfordanus'') is species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Peninsular India. One of two species in the genus, ''P. blanfordanus'' is found mainly to the east of the distribution of ...

''(Psammophilus blanfordanus)'',

Mysore day gecko The Mysore day gecko (''Cnemaspis mysoriensis'') is a species of Diurnality, diurnal gecko endemic to the Bangalore uplands in Karnataka state, South India. It is rock-dwelling and is found in deciduous forest tracts in mid-hills. This species oc ...

''(Cnemaspis mysoriensis)'', bronze grass skink ''(

Eutropis macularia The bronze grass skink, bronze mabuya or speckled forest skink (''Eutropis macularia''), is a species of skink found in South and Southeast Asia. It is a common, but shy, ground-dwelling species that is active both day and night. Description ...

)'', green keelback ''(

Rhabdophis plumbicolor ''Rhabdophis plumbicolor'', known as the green keelback or lead keelback, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae native to parts of the Indian subcontinent. Description :''See snake scales for terminology used'' ''R. plu ...

)'',

trinket snake The common trinket snake (''Coelognathus helena'') is a nonvenomous constrictor species of colubrid snake native to south Central Asia. Etymology The specific name of this snake, ''helena'', is thought to be a reference to Helen of Troy, cons ...

''(Coelognathus helena)'', Russell's viper ''(Daboia russelii)'', common krait ''(Bungarus caeruleus)'' and hump-nosed viper ''( Hypnale hypnale)''. Between January 2014 and December 2016, 497 Indian palm squirrels ''(Funambulus palmarum)'' were found killed in traffic collisions on a long stretch of a state highway passing through the park. A long roadkilled Bibron's coral snake was found in September 2016. Proliferating tourism resorts and increasing demand for

firewood Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellets or chips. Firewood can ...

at the national park's periphery are also considered threats to its ecosystem. In 1995, the annual firewood need was estimated at per person living in the periphery of the national park. Between 1999 and 2013, six forest fires affected dry deciduous forest patches ranging in size from to in the northern part of the national park; the plant diversity in burned patches needs more than 15 years to recover.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{Tiger Reserves of India Tiger reserves of India National parks in Tamil Nadu Protected areas established in 1940 1940 establishments in India Nilgiris district South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Wildlife sanctuaries of the Western Ghats

History

Geography

Climate

Flora

Fauna

Mammals

Birds

Reptiles

Fish

Threats

See also

References

External links