Why in the News?

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has recently issued a notice to the State regarding a public interest litigation petition. This petition aims to request a directive to limit the access of individuals and vehicles into the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.

About Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:

• Location: Situated in the Southern Western Ghats within the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu.
• Established as a Tiger Reserve in 1988.
• Comprises three primary sanctuaries:
• Kalakad Sanctuary
• Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and
• A  portion of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
• The core area of the sanctuary is the Agastya Malai Hill Range, nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• This range is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots.
• Often referred to as the 'River Sanctuary,' it serves as the source for as many as 14 rivers.
• Terrain: Characterized by undulating landscapes with numerous valleys and porous rock formations.
• Vegetation:
• Varies from thorny shrub jungles to lush evergreen forests.
• Apart from forests, the reserve also includes savannah woodlands, grasslands, and even tea and coffee plantations.
• Flora: Notable species encompass Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, and more.
• Fauna: Home to a diverse range of wildlife, including tigers, leopards, rusty spotted cats, wild dogs, sloth bears, elephants, gaurs, sambar deer, spotted deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langurs, slender lorises, bonnet macaques, lion-tailed macaques, among others.