Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary
The magnificent Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the famous wildlife Sanctuaries of Tamil Nadu. Blest with a wonderful location in the Western Ghats, Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Some of the inhabitants of the Sanctuary are tiger, nilgiri tahr, gaur, panther, elephant, wild boar, civet cat, jackal and deer. A wide variety of the avian species are also found here. Black headed oriole, racket-tailed drongo, paradise catcher, rose-winged parakeet, black eagle, rutus woodpecker, great Indian Malabar pied hornbill and fairy bluebird are a few to name. This Sanctuary is nestled at an elevation of 1,400 m and covers an area of 958 sq km. The Sanctuary can be visited throughout the year except February to April.
Anna Zoological Park
Home to more than 170 wildlife species, Anna Zoological Park is worth a visit. Some of the animals present in the Park are tiger, hyena, jagur, elephant, camel,wolf, panther, hog deer, baboon, otter, black buck, camel, nilgai and Lion-tailed macaque. Its a great pleasure to see such wonderful animals! Originally known as the Madras Zoo, Anna Zoological Park is located in Vandalur, 30 km from the city of Chennai. The Park was the first public Zoo in India. It is also known as the Vandalur Zoo and has a library stocked with numerous books on wildlife. The Park is open on all days, except Tuesdays. Elephant safari is one of the attractions of the Park. Battery-operated vehicles are also available on hire.
Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park attracts visitors from far and wide, as it is a perfect place to spend time with nature's wonders?wildlife. Located in the city of Chennai, Guindy National Park is the 8th smallest National Park of India. It shelters around 14 species of mammals such as spotted deer, black buck, chital, jackal, Large Indian Civet, hyena, fox, jungle cat and antelope. When it comes to plant species, the Park is a paradise with over 350 species, including climbers, shrubs, herbs, and grass. The topography of the Park embraces dense forest, grasslands and water bodies. It is a bird's paradise too with a good population of the beautiful birds such as parrot, pheasants, quail, Black-winged kite, partridges, paradise fly-catcher, Honey Buzzard and Pariah kite. The Park is also a temporary home of some migratory birds like teals, pochards, medium egrets, pond herons and open-billed storks. A breathtaking attraction near the Park is the Guindy Snake Park. If you love to see snakes, visit this Park where you can see the King Cobra, python, viper and other reptiles. There is a children's park located inside the Snake Park with a collection of animals and birds. The Snake Park and the Children's Park have separate entry points. All the three Parks can be visited throughout the year.
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
An enchanting marine biosphere reserve, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a must-see tourist destination of Tamil Nadu. Catch a glimpse of the interesting marine life and make your holidays memorable. The Park is located in the Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu. Covering an area of 10,500 sq km, the Park has 21 islands. The Park is alive with dolphins, turtles, balano-glossus and many other fascinating marine species. A glimpse of the dolphin is truly a sight to behold. Coral reefs are in plenty here. Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is the first Marine Biosphere Reserve in South East Asia. This wonderful Park teems with more than 3,600 species of plants and animals.
Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary
Create your own record of delightful memories by paying a visit to the Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary. It is nestled at a distance of 33 km from Tirunelveli in Nanguneri taluk, Tamil Nadu. The natural forests of this Bird Sanctuary are interspersed with ponds, where the chances of bird sighting are bright. With the advent of the winter season, the Bird Sanctuary comes alive with migratory birds. The migratory birds fly in from various countries such as Sri Lanka, USA, Myanmar, and Australia. This is one of the sanctuaries of India, which attracts a lot of tourists throughout the year. Around 10,000 birds migrate to this beautiful Sanctuary every year. How overwhelming it is to see these wonderful creatures of nature! Capture the beautiful birds singing away to glory at the Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary. The best time to visit the Bird Sanctuary is during the winters.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Covering an area of 321 sq km, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It has a river Moyar which is very beautiful. It was the first sanctuary of South India established in 1940. The flora here comprises of? tropical moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and scrub forests whereas the fauna consists of Elephants, Gaur, Banner, Macaque, Common Langur, Tigers, Leopards, Chital, Panther, Sloth Bear, Python, Barking Deer, Four Horned Antelope and? Nilgiri Langur and the Lion Tailed Macaque. The different birds found here are Peacock, Grey Jungle Fowl, Red Spur Fowl, Grey Partridge Quails, Goggle Eyed Plower, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Large Racket-Tailed Dronge, The Magpie-robin, Spotted Babbler,? Mynahs., Green Pigeons, Brown Dove, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Bulbuls and Small Green Barbet
Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary
Known for its rich biodiversity and beautiful landscapes, Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary is a wonderful place to visit. It is located in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Its origin dates back to 1977, when it was declared a wildlife sanctuary, with an aim to conserve the endangered lion-tailed macaque. This Sanctuary and the neighboring Kalalladu Sanctuary were together brought under Project Tiger in 1996. There is a wide diversity of flora and fauna in the Sanctuary. Animals such as tiger, leopard, Brown palm civet, Mouse deer, Rusty spotted cat, sambhar, Nilgiri langur, Indian pangolin Lion-tailed macaque, sloth bear and Brown mongoose? are present here. Some of the endearing avian species of the Sanctuary include Ceylon mouth frog, Grey headed bulbul, Great Pied hornbill, Great Indian hornbill,Malabar Grey hornbill, Oriental bay owl, Broad- tailed Grass warbler. The best time to visit the Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary is from October to January.