Mudumalai National Park is a

national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

in the Nilgiri Mountains in

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

in southern India. It covers at an elevation range of in the Nilgiri District and shares boundaries with the states of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

and

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. A part of this area has been protected since 1940. The national park has been part of

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve in the Nilgiri Mountains of the Western Ghats in South India. It is the largest protected forest area in India, spreading across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. It includes the protected ...

since 1986 and was declared a

tiger reserve Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India to protect the endangered tiger. The project was initiated in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India. As of March 2025, there ...

together with a buffer zone of in 2007. It receives an annual rainfall of about and harbours

tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Description TSMF is generally found in la ...

with 498 plant species, at least 266 bird species, 18

carnivore A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant Plants are the eukaryotes that form the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae; they ar ...

and 10

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat ...

species. It is drained by the

Moyar River The Moyar River (also Mayar) is one of the tributaries of the Bhavani, which itself is a tributary of the Kaveri in Tamil Nadu, South India. The Moyar river originates from a small town called Mayar off the Masinagudi–Ooty road. This is a nat ...

and several tributaries, which harbour 38

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

species. Traffic on three public roads passing through the national park has caused significant

roadkill Roadkill is a wild animal that has been killed by collision with motor vehicles. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how they can be mitigated. History Essenti ...

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

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...

s since 1999.

History

The word Mudumalai is a

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

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 skidder, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or trunk (botany), logs onto logging truck, trucksNeelambur Neelambur is a suburb in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu. Neelambur is situated in the Eastern Part of Coimbatore. Neelambur is the entrance of Coimbatore City from the National Highways. The road splits for Palakkad, Kerala and Coimbatore City h ...

. 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

in 1986. It was declared as a

Tiger Reserve Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India to protect the endangered tiger. The project was initiated in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India. As of March 2025, there ...

under

Project Tiger Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India to protect the endangered tiger. The project was initiated in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India. As of March 2025, there ...

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 Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

. 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) is a wildlife conservation agency formed to protect the endangered Bengal tiger in India. It was established by the Government of India under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in ...

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 The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

and the

Government of Tamil Nadu The Government of Tamil Nadu () is the administrative body responsible for the governance of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the capital of the state and houses the state executive, legislature and head of judiciary. Under the Const ...

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 Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Wayanad, Kerala, India with an extent of and four hill ranges namely Sulthan Bathery, Muthanga, Kurichiat and Tholpetty. A variety of large wild animals such as gaur, Indian elephant, deer ...

, 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. Histor ...

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, funga, or features of geologic ...

. 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, also historically known as a march, is a neutral area that lies between two or more bodies of land; usually, between countries. Depending on the type of buffer zone, it may serve to separate regions or conjoin them. Common types o ...

of was designated as the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The elevation range of in the Western Ghats is characterised by

evergreen forest An evergreen forest is a forest made up of evergreen trees. They occur across a wide range of climatic zones, and include trees such as conifers and holly in cold climates, eucalyptus, live oak, acacias, magnolia, and banksia in more temperate zo ...

with

dipterocarp Dipterocarpaceae is a family of flowering plants with 22 genera and about 695 known species of mainly lowland tropical forest trees. Their distribution is pantropical, from northern South America to Africa, the Seychelles, India, Indochina, Indo ...

species prevailing. Its undulating hills consist mostly of

hornblendite Hornblendite is a plutonic rock consisting mainly of the amphibole hornblende. Hornblende-rich ultramafic rocks are rare and when hornblende is the dominant mineral phase they are classified as hornblendites with qualifiers such as garnet hornble ...

and biotite gneiss 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–si ...

; red heavy loam prevails in the southern part. It is part of the

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...

South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is an ecoregion in the Western Ghats of southern India with tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. This biome covers the Nilgiri Hills between elevation of in Kerala, Karnataka and T ...

. Mudumalai National Park and the adjacent Sigur Reserve Forest form an important

wildlife corridor A wildlife corridor, also known as a habitat corridor, or green corridor, is a designated area habitat (ecology), that connects wildlife populations that have been separated by human activities or structures, such as development, roads, or land ...

within the Nilgiri

Biosphere Reserve 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, funga, or features of geologic ...

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 patche ...

for the

Asian elephant The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living ''Elephas'' species. It is the largest living land animal in Asia and the second largest living Elephantidae, elephantid in the world. It is char ...

(''Elephas maximus'') population in the region.

Climate

Mudumalai National Park receives about rainfall annually, most of it during the

southwest monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

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

Mudumalai National Park harbours

. The

flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...

l diversity comprises 498 plant species including 154

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

, 77

shrub A shrub or 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 by their multiple ...

, 214

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

and 53

vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...

species.

Teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panic ...

''(Tectona grandis)'' and axlewood ''(

Anogeissus latifolia ''Terminalia anogeissiana'' is a species of small to medium-sized trees native to the Indian subcontinent only. Its common names are axlewood (English), ''bakli, baajhi, dhau, dhawa, dhawra, dhawda'', or ''dhaora'' (Hindi). It is one of the mo ...

)'' 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 South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is also known as flame of the forest, Bengal kino, dhak, palash, and bastard teak. Revered as sacred by Hindus, it is ...

)'', Indian laurel ''(

Terminalia elliptica ''Terminalia elliptica'' (sin. ''Terminalia tormentosa'') is a species of '' Terminalia'' native to southern and southeast Asia in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.Sal and Saaj Deforestation in West Nepal"T ...

)'', kusum tree ''(

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

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 ''Pterocarpus marsupium'', also known as Malabar kino or Indian kino, is a medium-to-large, deciduous tree that can grow up to tall. It is native to India (where it occurs in parts of the Western Ghats in the Karnataka-Kerala region and in the ...

)'', Indian rosewood ''(

Dalbergia latifolia ''Dalbergia latifolia'' (synonym ''Dalbergia emarginata'') is a premier timber species, also known as the Indian rosewood ( Tamil / தமிழ்: Eetti / ஈட்டி) ( Telugu / తెలుగు: Irugudu/ ఇరుగుడు). It is n ...

)'', 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 ''Bombax ceiba'', like other trees of the genus ''Bombax'', is commonly known as cotton tree. More specifically, it is sometimes known as Malabar silk-cotton tree; red silk-cotton; red cotton tree; or ambiguously as silk-cotton or kapok, both of ...

)'' and Indian beech ''(

Millettia pinnata ''Pongamia pinnata'' is a species of tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, native to eastern and tropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands. It is the sole species in genus ''Pongamia''. It is often known by the synonym ''Millettia pinnata''. ...

)''; moist deciduous forest is interspersed with giant thorny bamboo ''(

Bambusa bambos ''Bambusa bambos'', (synonym Gigantichloa maxima) the giant thorny bamboo, Indian thorny bamboo, spiny bamboo, or thorny bamboo (but see '' Bambusa spinosa'') is a species of clumping bamboo native to southern Asia (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka ...

)''. Mango ''(

Mangifera indica ''Mangifera indica'', commonly known as mango, is an evergreen species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is a large fruit tree, capable of growing to a height and width of . There are two distinct genetic populations in modern m ...

)'' and persimmon ''(

Diospyros ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark timb ...

)'' grow along river courses. Climbers include orange climber ''( Zanthoxylum asiaticum)'', ''

Wattakaka volubilis ''Stephanotis volubilis'', synonyms including ''Dregea volubilis'', is a species of plant in the family Apocynaceae that is native from north-east Pakistan eastwards to south China and southwards to Java. Regional names "Doodipaala" () in Telug ...

'', 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 plant, 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 ''Argyrei ...

)'', striped cucumber ''(

Diplocyclos palmatus ''Diplocyclos palmatus'' is a vine in the family Cucurbitaceae. It is commonly known as native bryony or striped cucumber. In Marathi, it is called due to its seed which resembles a lingam. Distribution The plant is distributed in rainforests ...

)'' and several

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

species. Ceylon satinwood ''(

Chloroxylon swietenia ''Chloroxylon swietenia'' , the Ceylon satinwood or East Indian satinwood, is a tropical hardwood, the sole species in the genus ''Chloroxylon'' (from the Greek language, Greek χλωρὸν ξύλον, "green wood"). It is native to southern Ind ...

)'', red cedar ''(

Erythroxylum monogynum ''Erythroxylum monogynum'', the bastard sandal or red cedar, is a tropical tree in the family Erythroxylaceae. It is native to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. It is a small, evergreen bushy tree reaching (but sometimes higher). The leaves are s ...

)'' and catechu ''(

Senegalia catechu ''Senegalia catechu'', previously known as ''Acacia catechu'', is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height. The plant is called ''kachu'' in Malay; the Malay name was Latinized to "catechu" in Linnaean taxonomy, as the species from ...

)'' are the dominant plants in

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...

patches. ''

Lantana camara ''Lantana camara'' (common lantana) is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family (Verbenaceae), native to the American tropics. It is a very adaptable species, which can inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems; once it has been introduced i ...

'' is an

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

that negatively affects the dispersal of the native Indian gooseberry ''(

Phyllanthus emblica ''Phyllanthus emblica'', also known as emblic, emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, nelikai, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, amloki or amla, is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its native range is tropical and southern Asia. Descript ...

)'' and '' Kydia calycina'', but does not affect growth and dispersal of other shrubs. A study on

nest A nest is a structure built for certain animals to hold Egg (biology), eggs or young. Although nests are most closely associated with birds, members of all classes of vertebrates and some invertebrates construct nests. They may be composed of ...

ing behaviour of birds revealed that

red-vented bulbul The red-vented bulbul (''Pycnonotus cafer'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerines. It is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka extending east to Burma and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. It has b ...

''(Pycnonotus cafer)'' and

red-whiskered bulbul The red-whiskered bulbul (''Pycnonotus jocosus''), or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical are ...

''(P. jocosus)'' prefer its top canopy level for building nests in spring. An exceptionally large arjun tree ''(

Terminalia arjuna ''Terminalia arjuna'' is a tree of the genus '' Terminalia''. It is commonly known as arjuna or arjun tree in English. It is used as a traditional medicinal plant. Description ''T. arjuna'' grows to about 20–25 metres tall; usually has a buttr ...

)'' with a height of and a girth of was detected in the Moyar River valley in 2019; it was used by

white-rumped vulture The white-rumped vulture (''Gyps bengalensis'') is an Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000, as the population severely declined. White-rumped vultures di ...

''(Gyps bengalensis)'',

brown fish owl The brown fish owl (''Ketupa zeylonensis'') is a fish owl species in the family known as typical owls, Strigidae. It is native from Turkey to South and Southeast Asia. Due its wide distribution it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. ...

''(Ketupa zeylonensis)'',

spot-bellied eagle-owl The spot-bellied eagle-owl (''Ketupa nipalensis''), also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This species is c ...

''(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 Bird of prey, raptors such as kite (bird), kites, eagles, and harrier (bird), harriers. ''Pernis ptilorhynchu ...

''(Pernis ptilorhynchus)'',

changeable hawk-eagle The changeable hawk-eagle ''(Nisaetus cirrhatus)'' or crested hawk-eagle is a large bird of prey species of the family (biology), family Accipitridae. More informal or antiquated English common names include the marsh hawk-eagle or Indian crested ...

''(Nisaetus cirrhatus)'' and

shikra The shikra (''Tachyspiza badia'') is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the little banded goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usual ...

''(Accipiter badius)'' for roosting.

Fauna

During the major flowering season, 394 nests of the giant honey bee (''

Apis dorsata ''Apis dorsata'', the rock bee or giant honey bee, is a honey bee of South and Southeast Asia. They are typically around long and nests are mainly built in exposed places far off the ground, like on tree limbs, under cliff overhangs, and under ...

'') were detected in the park between January and June 2007;

bee colonies A beehive is an enclosed structure which houses honey bees, subgenus '' Apis.'' Honey bees live in the beehive, raising their young and producing honey as part of their seasonal cycle. Though the word ''beehive'' is used to describe the nest of ...

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 leopard The Indian leopard (''Panthera pardus fusca'') is a subspecies of the leopard (''P. pardus''). It is widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is threatened by illegal trade of skins and body parts, and persecution due to human-leopard ...

s (''Panthera pardus fusca'') and 19

Bengal tiger The Bengal tiger is a population of the ''Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies and the nominate tiger subspecies. It ranks among the largest wild cats alive today. It is estimated to have been present in the Indian subcontinent since the Late ...

s (''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 The jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), also called reed cat and swamp cat, is a medium-sized cat native from the Eastern Mediterranean region and the Caucasus to parts of Central, South and Southeast Asia. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, ...

(''Felis chaus''),

rusty-spotted cat The rusty-spotted cat (''Prionailurus rubiginosus'') is one of the cat family's smallest members, of which historical records are known only from India and Sri Lanka. In 2012, it was also recorded in the western Terai of Nepal. Since 2016, the gl ...

(''Prionailurus rubiginosus'') and

leopard cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a Felinae, small wild cat native to continental South Asia, South, Southeast Asia, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely di ...

(''P. bengalensis'') were recorded during

camera trap A camera trap is a camera that is automatically triggered by motion in its vicinity, like the presence of an animal or a human being. It is typically equipped with a motion sensor—usually a passive infrared (PIR) sensor or an active infrared ...

surveys in 2010–2011 and 2018. Two

dhole The dhole ( ; ''Cuon alpinus'') is a canid native to South, East and Southeast Asia. It is anatomically distinguished from members of the genus ''Canis'' in several aspects: its skull is convex rather than concave in profile, it lacks a third ...

(''Cuon alpinus'') packs were monitored during 1989–1993 and had

home range A home range is the area in which an animal lives and moves on a periodic basis. It is related to the concept of an animal's territory which is the area that is actively defended. The concept of a home range was introduced by W. H. Burt in 1943. ...

s of ; packs comprised between four and 25 individuals during this period.

Golden jackal The golden jackal (''Canis aureus''), also called the common jackal, is a wolf-like canid that is native to Eurasia. The golden jackal's coat varies in color from a pale creamy yellow in summer to a dark tawny beige in winter. It is smaller a ...

(''Canis aureus''), 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 The sloth bear (''Melursus ursinus''), also known as the Indian bear, is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. It feeds on fruits, ants and termites. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of ...

(''Melursus ursinus'') collected along forest roads and animal trails contained remains of 18 plant species with golden shower (''

Cassia fistula ''Cassia fistula'', also known as golden shower, purging cassia, Indian laburnum, kani konna, or pudding-pipe tree,U. S. Department of Agriculture, William Saunders; Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agric ...

''), Indian plum ('' Zizyphus mauritiana'') and clammy cherry (''

Cordia obliqua ''Cordia obliqua'', the clammy cherry, is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Cordia''. The larvae of '' Brenthia coronigera'', a species of moth found in Bengal, India, feeds on ''Cordia obliqua''. Hesperetin 7-rhamnoside, a glycoside of ...

'') forming the bulk of its diet apart from fungus-growing termites ('' Odontotermes''),

fire ant Fire ants are several species of ants in the genus ''Solenopsis'', which includes over 200 species. ''Solenopsis'' are stinging ants, and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants. Many of the nam ...

s and

honey bee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the ...

Small Indian civet The small Indian civet (''Viverricula indica'') is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its widespread distribution, widespread habitat use and healthy populations living in agr ...

(''Viverricula indica''),

Asian palm civet The Asian palm civet (''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''), also called common palm civet, toddy cat and musang, is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, it is IUCN Red Listed as Least Concern as it accommodates to a broad range o ...

(''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus'') and

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

(''P. jerdoni'') live in both deciduous and semi-evergreen forest patches;

ruddy mongoose The ruddy mongoose (''Urva smithii'') is a mongoose species native to hill forests in India and Sri Lanka. Description Its head to body length is with a long tail. Distribution and habitat The ruddy mongoose is mainly a forest-living animal ...

(''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. Taxonomy English zoologist Edward Turner Bennett described this species in 1835. There are two subspecies. ...

(''U. vitticollis'') frequents riverine areas, and

Indian grey mongoose The Indian grey mongoose or Asian grey mongoose (''Urva edwardsii'') is a mongoose species native to the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The grey mongoose inhabits open forests, scrubland ...

''U. edwardsii'' open habitats. The mongooses forage foremost for

pill millipede Pill millipedes are any members of two living (and one extinct) orders of millipedes, often grouped together into a single superorder, Oniscomorpha. The name Oniscomorpha refers to the millipedes' resemblance to certain woodlice (Oniscidea), also ...

dung beetle Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. All species of dung beetle belong to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, most of them to the subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae of the family Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles). As most species of Scara ...

s, 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 n ...

, birds and reptiles.

Smooth-coated otter The smooth-coated otter (''Lutrogale perspicillata'') is a freshwater otter species from regions of South and Southwest Asia, with the majority of its numbers found in Southeast Asia. It has been ranked as " vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List since ...

(''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. The Asian elephant is the largest

mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

in the park with an estimated 536–1,001 individuals in 25 herds in 2000. Herds comprise up to 22 individuals. The

gaur The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ) is a large bovine native to the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable species, Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 ...

(''Bos gaurus'') is the largest

ungulate Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Euungulata ("true ungulates"), which primarily consists of large mammals with Hoof, hooves. Once part of the clade "Ungulata" along with the clade Paenungulata, "Ungulata" has since been determined ...

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, South China and Southeast Asia that is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Populations have declined substantially due to severe huntin ...

(''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 The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also called spotted deer, chital deer and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben in 1777. A moderate-sized deer, mal ...

(''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 The Indian spotted chevrotain (''Moschiola indica'') is a species of even-toed ungulate in the family Tragulidae. It is native to India and possibly Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked countr ...

(''Moschiola indica'') and

Indian muntjac The Northern red muntjac (''Muntiacus vaginalis'') is a species of muntjac. It is found in numerous countries of south-central and southeast Asia. The northern red muntjac inhabits various forest types, from tropical rainforests to deciduous an ...

(''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 disperser In spermatophyte plants, seed dispersal is the movement, spread or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their seeds, including both abiotic vectors, ...

s in the park. Present are also

four-horned antelope The four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), also called ''chousingha'', is a small bovid antelope native to central, South and Western India, along with a smaller population in Nepal. The sole member of the genus ''Tetracerus'', t ...

(''Tetracerus quadricornis''),

blackbuck The blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the Indian antelope, is a medium-sized antelope native to India and Nepal. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources. It stands up to high at the sh ...

(''Antilope cervicapra''),

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

(''Sus scrofa''),

Indian pangolin The Indian pangolin (''Manis crassicaudata''), also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater, is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent. Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping Scale (zoology), scales on its body which act as ...

(''Manis crassicaudata'') and

Indian crested porcupine The Indian crested porcupine (''Hystrix indica'') is a hystricomorph rodent species native to southern Asia and the Middle East. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It belongs to the Old World porcupine family, Hystricidae. Des ...

(''Hystrix indica''). Four

bonnet macaque The bonnet macaque (''Macaca radiata''), also known as zati,Chambers English Dictionary is a species of macaque endemism, endemic to southern India. Its distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari River, Godavari a ...

(''Macaca radiata'') troops were studied in 1997, which ranged in size from 28 to 35 members and lived in

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

with

gray langur ''Semnopithecus'' is a genus of Old World monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent, with all species with the exception of two being commonly known as gray langurs. Traditionally only the species ''Semnopithecus entellus'' was recognized, but si ...

(''Semnopithecus entellus'') troops. A troop in the Moyar River valley foraged on leaves, flowers and fruits of several tree and shrub species including

tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this spe ...

(''Tamarindus indica''), banyan fig (''

Ficus benghalensis ''Ficus benghalensis'', ''Ficus indica'', or ''Ficus audrey'' commonly known as the banyan, banyan fig and Indian banyan, is a tree native to the Indian Subcontinent. Specimens in India are among the largest trees in the world by canopy coverage. ...

''), 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 ''Azadirachta indica'', commonly known as neem, margosa, nimtree or Indian lilac, is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of the two species in the genus ''Azadirachta''. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and to parts of Sout ...

''), 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 games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

s and

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

s. The range of the

Indian giant squirrel The Indian giant squirrel or Malabar giant squirrel (''Ratufa indica'') is a large multi-coloured tree squirrel species endemic to forests and woodlands in India. It is a diurnal, arboreal, and mainly herbivorous squirrel. Distribution and hab ...

(''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 Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

. 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 The Indian giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista philippensis''), also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane ...

(''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 The painted bat (''Kerivoula picta'') or painted wooly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is also known as "butterfly bat" (''projapoti badur''), "rongin chamchika" (coloured bat) or "komola-badami chamchika" (oran ...

(''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 The Malabar gray hornbill (''Ocyceros griseus'') is a hornbill endemic to the Western Ghats and associated hills of southern India. They have a large beak but lack the casque that is prominent in some other hornbill species. They are found mai ...

(''Ocyceros griseus''),

Indian grey hornbill The Indian gray hornbill (''Ocyceros birostris'') is a common hornbill found on the Indian subcontinent. It is mostly arboreal and is commonly sighted in pairs. It has grey feathers all over the body with a light grey or dull white belly. The hor ...

(''O. birostris''),

Indian peafowl The Indian peafowl (''Pavo cristatus''), also known as the common peafowl, or blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. While it originated in the Indian subcontinent, it has since been introduced to many other part ...

(''Pavo cristatus''),

Bonelli's eagle Bonelli's eagle (''Aquila fasciata'') is a large bird of prey. The common name of the bird commemorates the Italian ornithologist and collector Franco Andrea Bonelli. Bonelli is credited with gathering the type specimen, most likely from an expl ...

(''Aquila fasciata''),

crested serpent eagle The crested serpent eagle (''Spilornis cheela'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range across the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and East Asia, there are considera ...

(''Spilornis cheela''),

black eagle The black eagle (''Ictinaetus malaiensis'') is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus ''Ictinaetus''. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South a ...

(''Ictinaetus malaiensis''),

besra The besra (''Tachyspiza virgata''), also called the besra sparrowhawk, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus ''Accipiter''. The name "besra" is from the Hindi word for the species. The besra is a wide ...

(''Accipiter virgatus'') and

crested goshawk The crested goshawk (''Lophospiza trivirgata'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is widely distributed in tropical Asia. It was formerly placed in the genus ''Accipiter''. Taxonomy The crested goshawk was formally described in 1 ...

(''A. trivirgatus''),

white-rumped shama The white-rumped shama (''Copsychus malabaricus'') is a passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster ...

(''Copsychus malabaricus''),

Indian roller The Indian roller (''Coracias benghalensis'') is a bird of the family Coraciidae. It is long with a wingspan of and weighs . The face and throat are pinkish, the head and back are brown, with blue on the rump and contrasting light and dark bl ...

(''Coracias benghalensis''),

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

(''Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus'') and white-naped woodpecker (''C. festivus''),

black-rumped flameback The black-rumped flameback (''Dinopium benghalense''), also known as the lesser golden-backed woodpecker or lesser goldenback, is a woodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in ...

(''Dinopium benghalense''),

white-bellied woodpecker The white-bellied woodpecker or great black woodpecker (''Dryocopus javensis'') is a woodpecker species inhabiting evergreen forests in tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is among the largest of the Asiatic woodpeckers and nests ...

(''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 The rufous woodpecker (''Micropternus brachyurus'') is a medium-sized brown woodpecker native to South and Southeast Asia. It is short-billed, foraging in pairs on small insects, particularly ants and termites, in scrub, evergreen, and deciduous ...

(''Micropternus brachyurus''),

greater racket-tailed drongo The greater racket-tailed drongo (''Dicrurus paradiseus'') is a medium-sized Asian bird which is distinctive in having elongated outer tail feathers with webbing restricted to the tips. They are placed along with other drongos in the family Dicr ...

(''Dicrurus paradiseus''),

grey-bellied cuckoo The grey-bellied cuckoo or the Indian plaintive cuckoo (''Cacomantis passerinus'') is a cuckoo with widespread occurrence throughout Asia. Description The grey-bellied cuckoo is one of the smaller cuckoos, at a total length of about 23 cm. ...

(''Cacomantis passerinus'') and

Indian cuckoo The Indian cuckoo or short-winged cuckoo (''Cuculus micropterus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, that is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ranges from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri ...

(''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 w ...

(''Psilopogon haemacephalus''),

white-cheeked barbet The white-cheeked barbet or small green barbet (''Psilopogon viridis'') is a species of Megalaimidae, Asian barbet found in southern India. It is very similar to the more widespread brown-headed barbet (or large green barbet, ''Psilopogon zeylan ...

(''P. viridis'') and

brown-headed barbet The brown-headed barbet (''Psilopogon zeylanicus'') is an Asian barbet species native to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. Taxonomy The brown-headed barbet was formally described in 17 ...

(''P. zeylanicus''),

grey francolin The grey francolin (''Ortygornis pondicerianus'') is a species of francolin found in the plains and drier parts of the Indian subcontinent and Iran. This species was formerly also called the grey partridge, not to be confused with the European gr ...

(''Ortygornis pondicerianus''),

speckled piculet The speckled piculet (''Picumnus innominatus'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Indian, China and Southeast Asia. Taxonomy The speckled piculet was formally described in 1836 by the English zoologist Edward Burton un ...

(''Picumnus innominatus''),

Indian pond heron The Indian pond heron or paddybird (''Ardeola grayii'') is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east to the Indian subcontinent, Burma, and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed whe ...

(''Ardeola grayii''),

white-throated kingfisher The white-throated kingfisher (''Halcyon smyrnensis'') also known as the white-breasted kingfisher is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Asia from the Sinai east through the Indian subcontinent to China and Indonesia. This kingfisher is a ...

(''Halcyon smyrnensis''),

blue-winged parakeet The blue-winged parakeet (''Psittacula columboides''), also known as the Malabar parakeet, is a species of parakeet endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India. Found in small flocks, they fly rapidly in forest clearings while making screec ...

(''Psittacula columboides''), Nilgiri wood pigeon (''Columba elphinstonii''),

common emerald dove The emerald dove or common emerald dove (''Chalcophaps indica''), also called Asian emerald dove and grey-capped emerald dove, is a widespread resident breeding pigeon native to the tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and S ...

(''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 The red spurfowl (''Galloperdix spadicea'') is a member of the pheasant family and is endemic to India. It is a bird of forests, and is quite secretive despite its size. It has a distinctive call and is often hard to see except for a few seconds ...

(''Galloperdix spadicea'') and

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

(''Gallus sonneratii''),

painted bush quail The painted bush quail (''Perdicula erythrorhyncha'') is a species of quail found in the hill forests of India. They move in small coveys on hillsides and are distinguished by their red bills and legs. They have a liquid alarm call and small grou ...

(''Perdicula erythrorhyncha''), crimson-backed sunbird (''Leptocoma minima''), Loten's sunbird (''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 The white-browed wagtail or large pied wagtail (''Motacilla maderaspatensis'') is a medium-sized bird and is the largest member of the wagtail family. They are conspicuously patterned with black above and white below, a prominent white brow, sho ...

(''Motacilla maderaspatensis'')

black-and-orange flycatcher The black-and-orange flycatcher (''Ficedula nigrorufa'') or black-and-rufous flycatcher is a species of Old World flycatcher, flycatcher endemic to the central and southern Western Ghats, the Nilgiris (mountains), Nilgiris and Palni Hills, Palni ...

(''Ficedula nigrorufa''),

Eurasian golden oriole The Eurasian golden oriole (''Oriolus oriolus''), also called the common golden oriole, is the only member of the Old World oriole family of passerine birds breeding in Northern Hemisphere temperate regions. It is a summer bird migration, migrant ...

(''Oriolus oriolus'') and black-hooded oriole (''O. xanthornus''). In 2004,

pin-striped tit-babbler The pin-striped tit-babbler (''Mixornis gularis''), also known as the yellow-breasted babbler, is a species of bird in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae that is found in South Asia, South and Southeast Asia. Taxonomy and systematics The pi ...

s (''Mixornis gularis'') were observed in a dry stream bed outside the protected area. December to March is the breeding season of yellow-crowned woodpecker (''Leiopicus mahrattensis''),

streak-throated woodpecker The streak-throated woodpecker (''Picus xanthopygaeus'') is a species of woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent. It occurs in drier woodland, from lowland to the foothills of mountains. Description A medium-sized, green woodpecker with stre ...

(''Picus xanthopygaeus''),

yellow-throated sparrow The yellow-throated sparrow or chestnut-shouldered petronia (''Gymnoris xanthocollis'') is a species of sparrow found in southern Asia. It is a species mostly of the dry savannah. They forage on the ground for grain and for berries in bushes. ...

(''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. Se ...

(''Saxicoloides fulicatus''),

scaly-breasted munia The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia (''Lonchura punctulata''), known in the pet trade as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch, is a Old World sparrow, sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia. A species of the genus ''Lonchura'', it ...

(''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 of waxbill "finches" (Estrildidae). These are not close relatives of the true finch ...

(''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, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal east to western Indonesia and south China. This species is a part o ...

(''Ninox scutulata'') and

jungle owlet The jungle owlet (''Glaucidium radiatum'') or barred jungle owlet is native to the Indian Subcontinent. The species is often found singly, in pairs or small groups, and they are usually detected by their calls at dawn and dusk. There are two subs ...

(''Glaucidium radiatum'') are known night birds in the region. A juvenile

cinereous vulture The cinereous vulture (''Aegypius monachus''), also known as the black vulture, Eurasian black vulture, and monk vulture, is a very large Raptor (bird), raptor in the family Accipitridae distributed through much of temperate Eurasia. With a body ...

''(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 The white-backed vulture (''Gyps africanus'') is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the most common vulture species in the continent of Africa. Description The white-ba ...

''(Gyps africanus)'' nests were observed;

Indian vulture The Indian vulture or long-billed vulture (''Gyps indicus'') is a bird of prey native to the Indian subcontinent. It is an Old World vulture belonging to the family of Accipitridae. It is a medium-sized vulture with a small, semi-bald head with li ...

s ''(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 Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

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. It is a member of the genus '' Buteo'' in the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across much of ...

''(Buteo buteo)'',

western marsh harrier The western marsh harrier (''Circus aeruginosus'') is a large harrier (bird), harrier, a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Palearctic, Eurasia and adjacent Africa. It is also known as the Eurasian marsh harrier. Formerly, a numb ...

''(Circus aeruginosus)'' and

pallid harrier The pallid harrier (''Circus macrourus'') is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier subfamily. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek. ''Circus'' is from ''kirkos'' (circle), referring to a bird of prey named for its circling fl ...

''(C. macrourus)'',

cotton pygmy goose The cotton pygmy goose or cotton teal (''Nettapus coromandelianus'') is a small perching duck which breeds in Asia, Southeast Asia extending south and east to Queensland where they are sometimes called white-quilled pygmy goose. They are among t ...

''(Nettapus coromandelianus)'',

knob-billed duck The knob-billed duck (''Sarkidiornis melanotos'') or African comb duck is a type of duck found along the tropical/sub-tropical wetlands and waterways of Sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Madagascar, as well as most of South Asia and mainland I ...

''(Sarkidiornis melanotos)'',

northern pintail The pintail or northern pintail (''Anas acuta'') is a duck species with wide geographic Range (biology), distribution that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the Palearctic and North America. It is bird migration, migratory an ...

''(Anas acuta)'' and

rosy starling The rosy starling (''Pastor roseus'') is a passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae, also known as the rose-coloured starling or rose-coloured pastor. The species was recently placed in its own monotypic genus, ''Pastor'', and split fro ...

''(Pastor roseus)''.

White stork The white stork (''Ciconia ciconia'') is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to en ...

s (''Ciconia ciconia'') were observed in December 2013 and February 2014.

Reptiles

In 1992, six

Indian star tortoise The Indian star tortoise (''Geochelone elegans'') is a threatened tortoise species native to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where it inhabits dry areas and scrub forest. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2016, as the pop ...

s ''(Geochelone elegans)'' were sighted in scrubland at elevations of . An ornate flying snake (''

Chrysopelea ornata ''Chrysopelea ornata'' (Thai: งูเขียวพระอินทร์) is a species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) colubrid snake found in both South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly known as the golden tree sn ...

'') was observed in 2006. The

mugger crocodile The mugger crocodile (''Crocodylus palustris'') is a medium-sized broad-snouted crocodile, also known as mugger and marsh crocodile. It is native to freshwater habitats from south-eastern Iran to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits marsh ...

''(Crocodylus palustris)'' population in Moyar River was thought to encompass about 100 individuals as of 2009. Small

reptile Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

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 (biology), family Gekkonidae. The species is native to India and Sri Lanka. Etymology The Specific name (zoology), specific name, ''jerdonii'', is in honor ...

''(Cnemaspis jerdonii)'', Goan day gecko ''(C. indraneildasii)'' and Beddome's ground skink ''(

Kaestlea beddomii ''Kaestlea beddomii'', also known as Beddome's ground skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Etymology ''K. beddomii'' is named after Richard Henry Beddome, a British arm ...

)''. 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), Frenc ...

)'' was discovered on the road in the Theppakadu area at an elevation of in August 2013, the first record since 1874. A

Bengal monitor The Bengal monitor (''Varanus bengalensis''), also called the Indian monitor, is a species of monitor lizard distributed widely in the Indian subcontinent, as well as parts of Southeast Asia and West Asia. Description The Bengal monitor can ...

''(Varanus bengalensis)'' was recorded in 2018. The Indian rock python (''

Python molurus The Indian python (''Python molurus'') is a large python species native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is also known by the common names black-tailed python, Indian rock python, and Asian ...

'') was studied in the frame of a

telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', 'far off', an ...

project in the Moyar River valley from 2017 to 2020. In February 2019, a long female Indian rock python was observed

mating In biology, mating is the pairing of either opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for the purposes of sexual reproduction. ''Fertilization'' is the fusion of two gametes. '' Copulation'' is the union of the sex organs of two sexually repr ...

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, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by ...

'', ''

Puntius melanostigma ''Puntius melanostigma'' is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus ''Puntius'' from India. References

Puntius, melanostigma Taxa named by Francis Day Fish described in 1878 Barbs (fish) {{puntius-stub ...

'', reba carp ''(Cirrhinus reba)'',

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

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

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

)'', Malabar baril ''( Barilius gatensis)'', mullya garra ''( Garra mullya)'',

zig-zag eel The zig-zag eel (''Mastacembelus armatus'' Scopoli, 1777'), also known as the Baim, tire-track, tire-track spiny-eel, freshwater spiny eel, or marbled spiny eel, is a species of freshwater Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish in the Family (biology), ...

''(Mastacembelus armatus)'' and bullseye snakehead ''( Channa marulius)''.

Threats

From 1979 to 2011, remains of 148 dead Asian elephants were found in the park; 50 individuals were killed by

poacher Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the hunti ...

s. 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 ''Indirana'' is a genus of frogs in the family Ranixalidae. These frogs are endemic to the Western Ghats of India. They are sometimes known under the common name Indian frogs, whereas members of their parent family are named "leaping frogs". ...

'' frogs, Indian skipper frog ''(

Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis ''Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis'' is a common Dicroglossidae, dicroglossid frog found in South Asia. It is known under numerous common names, including Indian skipper frog or skittering frog. They are often seen at the edge of bodies of water with th ...

)'', 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 clos ...

)'', pigmy wrinkled frog ''(

Nyctibatrachus beddomii ''Nyctibatrachus beddomii'' (common names: Beddome's night frog, pigmy wrinkled frog, Beddome's dwarf wrinkled frog, and Tirunelveli's hill frog) is a species of frog in the family Nyctibatrachidae. Taxonomy The epithet or specific name, ''b ...

)'', Asian common toad ''(

Duttaphrynus melanostictus ''Duttaphrynus melanostictus'' is commonly called Asian common toad, Asian black-spined toad, Asian toad, black-spectacled toad, common Sunda toad, and Javanese toad. It is probably a complex of more than one true toad species that is widely d ...

)'', common green forest lizard ''( Calotes calotes)'',

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

''(Psammophilus blanfordanus)'', Mysore day gecko ''(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 T ...

)'', green keelback ''( Rhabdophis plumbicolor)'',

trinket snake The trinket snake (''Coelognathus helena''), also known commonly as the common trinket snake, is a species of nonvenomous constricting snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southern Central Asia. Etymology The specific name ...

''(Coelognathus helena)'',

Russell's viper Russell's viper (''Daboia russelii)'' is a species of highly venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Viperidae. The species is native to South Asia. It was Species description, described in 1797 by George Shaw (biologist), George Shaw and ...

''(Daboia russelii)'', common krait ''(Bungarus caeruleus)'' and hump-nosed viper ''(

Hypnale hypnale ''Hypnale hypnale'' is a venomous snake, venomous pit viper species Endemism, endemic to India and Sri Lanka. Common names include the hump-nosed viper,United States Navy (1991). ''Poisonous Snakes of the World''. New York: United States Governme ...

)''. 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 heavily processed, and is in some sort of firelog, recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellet fuel, pellets. ...

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