The Gulf of Mannar

( மன்னார் வளைகுடா)

The Gulf of Mannar(Tamil: மன்னார் வளைகுடா) is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in theIndian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of Indiaand the west coast of Sri Lanka, in theCoromandel CoastRegion.

A chain of low islands and reefs known asAdam's Bridge, also called Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island, separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palk Bay, which lies to the north between India and Sri Lanka. The estuaries of Thamirabarani River of south India and the Malvathu Oya (Malvathu River) of Sri Lanka drain into the Gulf

Marine sanctuary

Located on the southeastern tip of the subcontinent, the Gulf of Mannar is known to harbour over 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia. 117 hard coral species have been recorded in the Gulf of Mannar. Sea turtles are frequent visitors to the gulf as are sharks, dugongs, and dolphins. However, the combined effects of 47 villages, with a total population of around 50,000 has meant that overharvesting of marine species has become a problem. Fish catches have declined, as have pearl  oyster,  gorgonian  coral, and  acorn  worm populations. Local fishermen rely on the reef to feed their families, but destructive fishing methods combined with the stress of pollution and coral mining have meant both near shore and offshore catches have decreased. Endangered species include dolphins,   dugongs,  whales and sea cucumbers.

In 1986, a group of 21 islets lying off the Tamil Nadu coast betweenThoothukudi and Dhanushkodi were declared the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. The park and its 10 km buffer zone were declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1989.

Biosphere reserve

The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 10,500 km² of ocean, islands and the adjoining coastline. The islets and coastal buffer zone includes beaches, estuaries, and tropical dry broadleaf forests, while the marine environments include seaweed communities,sea grass communities, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroveforests.

Marine activities

The Gulf of Mannar is known for its pearl banks of Pinctada radiata and Pinctada fucatafor at least two thousand years. Pliny the Elder (23–79) praised the pearl fishery of the gulf as most productive in the world. Although extraction of natural pearls is considered too expensive in most parts of the world, it is still conducted in the gulf.

         The chief seaports on the Gulf of Mannar are Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) in Tamil Nadu, and Colombo in Sri Lanka. While these ports can accommodate deep-draft vessels, the shallow Palk Strait can only accommodate small shallow-draft vessels. In July 2005, the Indian Government took preliminary steps to go ahead with the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, which would create a deep channel linking the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal. Project boosters emphasize the benefits of a direct shipping route that connects India's east and west coasts without the long trip around Sri Lanka; environmentalists have warned against the grave damage such a project could cause to the sea life and fisheries of the Palk Strait and the Gulf.

The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park  (மன்னார்  வளைகுடா தேசிய கடல்சார் உயிரியல் பூங்கா)

   The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a protected area of India consisting of 21 small islands (islets) and adjacentcoral reefs in theGulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean. It lies 1 to 10 km away from the east coast of Tamil Nadu, South Indiafor 160 km between Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) and Dhanushkodi. It is the core area of theGulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve which includes a 10 km buffer zone around the park, including the populated coastal area. The park has a high diversity of plants and animals in its marine, inter tidaland near shore habitats. Public access inside the Park is limited to glass bottom boat rides.

Flora and fauna

Clownfish

The park includes estuaries, mudflats, beach sand forests of the near shore environment. It also includes marine components such as coral reefs, seaweed communities, sea grasses, salt marshes and mangroves. 

Flora – Mangroves dominate the intertidal zones of the park islands. They consist of species belonging to the Rhizophora,  Avicennia, Bruguiera,  Ceriops and Lumnitzera genus.

 Introduced Prosopis genus of tree species are dominant on land in all the islands. Pemphis acidula (Lythraceae family of flowering herb) is the only endemic plant species. 12 species of sea grass and 147 species of seaweeds were recorded. This vegetation provides important feeding grounds for the vulnerable marine mammal, the Dugong, endangered Green turtles and Olive Ridley turtles.

Fauna

Vertebrates

Dugong, a vulnerable marine mammal is the flagship mammal of the park. It is an important habitat for the Cetaceans: Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Finless porpoise, Spinner dolphin, Common dolphin, Risso's dolphin, Melon-headed whale, and Dwarf sperm whale. Larger whales include Sperm whale, Minke whale, Bryde's whale, Sei whale, and critically endangered species including Humpback whale, Fin whale, and Blue whale.

About 510 (23%) of the 2,200 fin fish species in Indian waters are found in the Gulf, making it the most highly diverse fish habitat in India. Coral associated ornamental fishes belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, (butterfly fish); Parrotfish; Amphiprion spp (clown fish), Holocentrus spp (squirrel fish), Scarus spp (parrot fish), Lutjanus spp (snappers) and Abudefduf saxatilis (sergeant Major) are abundant.

A unique endemic species of Balanoglossus – Ptychodera fluva, a living fossil that links invertebrates and vertebrates, has been recorded only at Kurusadai.

Invertebrates

Four species each of shrimp and lobster, 106 species of crab, 17 species of sea cucumber, and 466 species of mollusc including 271gastropods, 174 bivalves, 5 polyplacophorans, 16 cephalopods and 5scaphopods, 108 species of sponge, and 100 species ofechinoderm occur in the Gulf.

The coral fauna includes 106 species from 30 genus of hermatypesand 11 species from 10 genus of ahermatypes, including 13 new species, giving a total of 117 species from 14 families and 40 genus. The reefs in this area are narrow fringing reefs located 150 to 300 m. from the shore of the islands and patch reefs rising up from depths of 2 to 9 m. and extending up to 2 km. long and 50 m. wide. Large areas of these reefs are in generally poor condition due to destructive human activities of the 150,000 persons living along the coast. Nutrient and other pollution loads are high due to agriculture, deforestation, industry, urbanization and septic pollution. It appears that the Coral reefs of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park seem to be healthy and in good condition, despite high rates of sedimentation and other threats. However, live coral cover is only about 35%. Various algae cover much of the dead coral.

Stony coral species belonging to Poritidae and Faviidae sub orders constitute the dominant reef builders here. Coral reefs near some of the islands have been heavily damaged by exploitation as raw materials for industrial ventures such as cement industries, brick manufacture, masonry work and lime kilns. Though legal quarrying of the reefs is now stopped, up to 250 m³/day of reef were destroyed for many years.

Habitation

The islands are uninhabited except for Krusadai, Musal and Nallathanni islands where antipoaching sheds are operating.Along the coast near the park there are about 125 villages which support about 100,000 people who are mainlyMarakeyars, a local community principally engaged in fishing.

Habitat Degradation

Experts say that Vaan Island, one of the four islands of the Tuticorn group, has split in two and if immediate efforts are not taken then the island would soon vanish under the sea. Vaan Island, which is the southernmost of the 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar, was initially spread across 16 hectares, but had shrunk alarmingly by around 10.3 hectares to its current 5.7 hectares in less than three decades. According to J K Patterson Edward, director of Suganthi Devadasan Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tuticorin,"Rampant coral mining by people of the fishing villages along the coast is the main cause of the devastation to the island. Coral mining was banned in 2005, but the damage had already been done." Two of the 21 islands have already submerged around a decade ago.

Visitor information

Glass-bottomed boats available at Mandapam cater to tourists visiting the area. Access to the islands is prohibited. The nearest railway stations are at Mandapam and Tuticorin.

SOURCE: WIKI

Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR)

Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), (Tamil:களக்காடு முண்டந்துறை புலிகள் சரணாலயம்) located in the Southern Western Ghats in Tirunelveli Districtand Kanyakumari District in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the second-largest protected area in Tamil Nadu State (behind only Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuaryin Erode).

History

`The Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve was created in 1988 by combining Kalakad Wildlife Sanctuary (251 km²) and Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary (567 km²), both established in 1962. Notification of 77 km² of parts of Veerapuli and Kilamalai Reserve Forests in adjacent Kanyakumari district, added to the reserve in April 1996, is pending. A 400 km² (150 sq mi) core area of this reserve has been proposed as a national park.

The continuation of "Project Tiger" in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve for fiscal year 2010-2011, at the cost of Rs. 19433,000, was approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority on 28 August 2010.

Geography

The reserve is located between latitude 8° 25' and 8° 53' N and longitude 77° 10' and 77° 35' E, about 45 km west of Tirunelveli Town, and forms the catchment area for 14 rivers and streams. Among these rivers and streams, the Ganga, Tambraparani, Ramanadi, Karayar, Servalar, Manimuthar, Pachayar, Kodaiyar, Kadnar, and Kallar form the backbone of the irrigation network and drinking water for the people of Tirunelveli, Turicorin and part of Kanyakumari District. Seven major dams—Karaiyar, Lower Dam, Servalar, Manimuthar, Ramanadi, Kadnanadi and Kodaiyar—owe their existence to these rivers.

The reserve spans a range of 40 to 1,800 m in elevation. Agasthiyamalai (1681 m.) is in the core zone of the reserve.

Conservation

KMTR forms part of the inter-state (Kerala and Tamil Nadu) Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve. This part of Agastya Mala hills in the core of KMTR is considered one of the five centres of biodiversity and endemism in India by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Western Ghats, Agasthyamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) has developed and implemented a conservation intervention program in KMTR to decrease local villagers' dependency on the forests for fuel to and build community awareness about the value of biodiversity in the area.

"Agasthya", the KMTR newsletter, includes updates on research projects and staff activities at KMTR. The contents of the first issue included: "A Sanctuary for Cycas circinalis," "Tiger Almost," "Round in Agasthyamalai in Fourteen Days," "Corridors - It is Just Not for the Four Legged Furry Creatures," "Behaviour and Movement of Nilgiri Langur in the Upper Kodayar Range – KMTR," "Canopy News," "Agasthya Village Commons and Backyards to Meet the Biomass Requirements: An Experiment with Panchayat Raj and Women Collectives," "Bi-Lingual Field Guide Test Run," "Snippets from the Field," "Cullenia exarillata: A Keystone Species for Birds?" and "Tea, Tiger and Oranges".

Tigers are also protected in Tamil Nadu at Mudumalai National Park, Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Mukurthi National Park and Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary.

Flora & fauna

KMTR has at least 150 endemic plants, 33 fish, 37 amphibians, 81 reptiles, 273 birds and 77 mammal species. A 1997 Census by Project Tiger produced the following wildlife counts: tiger 73, leopard 79,jungle cat 1 755, wild dog 1 718, elephant (N/A), gaur 232, sambar 1 302, chital 1 966, Nilgiri tahr 8 780, wild pig 187, mouse deer 172,sloth bear 123, lion-tailed macaque 37, bonnet macaque 61, Nilgiri langur 61, common langur 61, slender loris 61, giant squirrel 61, and crocodile 61.

Habitat use by the grey jungle fowl (Gallus sonneratii) at Mundanthurai plateau, Tamil Nadu, was investigated from December 1987 to March 1988. The continuation of "Project Tiger" in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve for fiscal year 2010-2011, at the cost of Rs. 19 433 000, was approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority on 28 August 2010.

Settlements

The Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve has a large number of employees of the Electricity Board and Public Works Department who stay in three colonies and work at Karayar, Upper Dam, Servalar and Upper Kodayar reservoirs within the reserve. Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation has a 33.88 km² land in the core area of the reserve leased from singampatti zamin valid until 2028. The Company has tea and coffee plantations and three factories, and employs about 10 000 workers in the reserve.

There are several small estates and five Kani Tribal habitations, consisting of about 102 families. About 145 hamlets situated within 5 km of the 110 km eastern boundary of the reserve are inhabited by 100 000 people. There are about 50 000 cattle grazing out of these fringe villages, with a small number of cattle owned by the tea estate workers and residents of the electricity board colonies. 

SOURCE:WIKI

Palani Hills

The Palani Hills

Students at AC& RI Madurai

The Palani Hills (பழனி மலை) (also Palani Hills) are a mountain range in Tamil Nadu state of South India. The Palani Hills are an eastward extension of the Western Ghats ranges, which run parallel to the west coast of India. The Palani Hills adjoin the high Anamalai range on the west, and extend east into the plains of Tamil Nadu, covering an area of 2,068 square kilometres (798 sq mi). The highest part of the range is in the southwest, and reaches 1,800-2,500 metres (5,906-8,202 feet) elevation; the eastern extension of the range is made up of hills 1,000-1,500 m (3,281-4,921 ft) high.

It is also home to one of the shrines of Lord Karthikeyan or Murugan, who is worshipped as the primary god in Tamil Nadu

Geography

The range lies between the Cumbum Valley on the south, which is drained by the Vaigai River and its upper tributaries, and the Kongunadu region to the north. The northern slopes are drained by the Shanmukha River, Nanganji River, and Kodavanar River, which are tributaries of the Kaveri River. The range lies mostly within Dindigul district, except in the western portion, where it forms the boundary between Dindigul district and Theni district to the south. The hill station of Kodaikanal lies in the southern central portion of the range.

Ecoregions

The lower elevations of the Palani Hills, between 250 and 1,000 m (820-3,281 ft), are part of the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests ecoregion. Above 1,000 m (3,281 ft), the deciduous forests transition to the evergreen South Western Ghats montane rain forests. In the highest portions of the range, above 2,000 m (6,562 ft), the montane rainforests give way to shola-grassland mosaic, made up of frost-tolerant montane grasslands interspersed with pockets of stunted shola forests.

Conservation

The Palani Hills are currently subject to increasing development pressure. The Palni Hills Conservation Council, a non-governmental organizationheadquartered in Kodaikanal, was founded in 1985. In the early 1990s the Tamil Nadu Forest Department proposed to the Tamil Nadu state government that much of the range be granted protected status as a wildlife sanctuary or Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.

Source:wiki

Grizzled Giant Squirrel sanctuary, Srivilliputhur

Srivilliputhur is located at 9.5161°N 77.63°E. The town is located at the foot hills of the Western Ghats 77 km (48 mi) south west of Madurai. It has an average elevation of 137.2 metres (450 ft) above mean sea level. There are no notable mineral resources available in and around the town. Srivilliputhur receives scanty rainfall with an average of 811 mm (31.9 in) annually, which is lesser than the state average of 1,008 mm (39.7 in). The South west monsoon, with an onset in June and lasting up to August, brings scanty rainfall. Bulk of the rainfall is received during the North East monsoon in the months of October, November and December.

Shenbaga Thoppu is a forest located 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Srivilliputhur. These forests are found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Many rare and endemic varieties of flora and fauna are found along the mountain slopes. A wildlife sanctuary, spread over 480 km² (190 sq mi) was established in 1989 at Shenbaga Thoppu. The sanctuary is contiguous with the Periyar tiger reserve on the south-western side and the Megamalai reserve forest on the north-western side. The sanctuary is home to the endangered, arboreal Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macrora). The sanctuary also hosts birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies. Resident and migratory elephants are common. Other animals sighted are tiger, leopard, Nilgiri thar, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar, Wild Boar, porcupine, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, sloth bear, Gaur (Indian Bison) and flying squirrel.

Courtallam (குற்றாலம்)

Courtallam (குற்றாலம்) or Kutralam, Spa of South India, is apanchayat town situated at a mean elevation of 160 m (520 ft) on the Western Ghats inTirunelveli District ofTamil Nadu, India. Many seasonal and few perennial rivers such as the Chittar River, the Manimuthar River, the Pachaiyar River and the Tambaraparani River originate in this region. The numerous waterfalls and cascades along with the ubiquitous health resorts in the area have earned it the title the Spa of South India. The falls carry a good amount of water only when there is a rain on the hills. Season begins from June of every year till September. The South West Monsoon brings in the cold breeze with mild temperature. From October to December North East Monsoon sets over in Tamil Nadu and the climate is cold and the rains are very heavy sometimes. Sometimes the falls get flooded and people are not allowed to take bath during floods.

water falls

Courtallam has nine waterfalls.

·         Peraruvi (main falls) the biggest falls in Courtallam, is about 60m high. The flow of water is interrupted by the Pongumakadal, a 19m deep crater and comes down with greatly reduced impact, making a bath safe.

·         In Chitraruvi (small falls), the flow is thin. Here naturally separate places for men and women are there to bathe.

·         At Shenbagadevi falls, the water flows through shenbaga(Michaelia champak) trees. There is also a temple there, dedicated to Shenbagadevi Amman. Shenbagadevi leads to Chitraruvi.

·         About 3 km from this is Thenaruvi (honey falls), 40m high and cascading between two large stones. In places where there is no water, one sees big honeycombs. Thenaruvi is very dangerous and it is restricted for public. But it is very common to see people vising and bathing in Thenaruvi.

·         Aintharuvi (five falls) has five separate cascades of water form this waterfalls.

·         From the orchard above flows Pazhathotta Aruvi, the 'VIP falls'. Only VIP's are allowed in Pazhathotta Aruiv.

·         The Pazhaya Courtalla Aruvi (Old Courtallam falls) used to fall into a valley from between two rocks. The valley was closed and the rocks were broken to change the course of water and make bathing easier. It was reopened later.

·         The artificial Puli Aruvi (Tiger Falls) has a moderate flow of water which collects in a lake and is diverted for irrigation, sometimes tigers visit this place for water.

·         There is another small falls inside the Government Horticulture Park above Five Falls, but it is off limits to the public.

The three major waterfalls reachable by road are the Main Falls, Five Falls, and Old Courtallam Falls. Other waterfalls like Shenbaga Devi Falls and Honey Falls are reachable only by trekking on the mountain.

Places to visit

1.  Therkumalai Estate can be reached from Honey falls in 1 hour, which is roughly at 2000 ft altitude.

2.  Boat Houses near the Five Falls and Old Courtallam Falls.

3.  Snake Park nears to the Main Falls.

4.  Aquarium near the Main Falls.

5.  Children's Park.

Nearby Tourist Interests

Tenkasi is a town located in the foothills of the Western Ghats near the Courtallam Waterfalls, close to the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border in Tirunelveli District. Tourists prefer staying in either courtallam or Tenkasi and the close proximity allows tourists to frequently travel between the two. The Palaruvi Falls is across the state border in Kerala. 

Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary

Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of Tamil Nadu in South India created for the protection of Blackbuck Antelope. Located on an isolated hillock in Vallanadu Village of Srivaikundam Taluk, it is the southernmost place in India where a natural population of Blackbuck exists.

Flora

The sanctuary is a South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forest. The thorny hardwood and xerophytes:Dalbergia multiflora,Dichrostachys cinerea, Acacia latronum, Acacia planifrons, Albizia amara, Zizyphus sp. and a few Azadirachta indica,Dodonia viscosa, Carissa carandus, Pterolobium indicum and Euphorbia Acalypha fruticosa,Ocimum sanctum, species form the under growth.

Fauna

Black buck, Spotted deer, macaques, Jungle cat, Monkeys, Wild cat, Mongoose, Black naped Hare, Scaly Ant eater- Pangolin, Viper and Rat snake live here.

Peacock, Heron, Stork, Grey partridges, Jungle Craws, Commonquails, Pied crested Cuckoo, Crested-hawk Eagle, Black-winged Kite,Curlew, Lapwing, Nightjar, Sparrows, Horned owl, and nearly 100 other species of birds are found in the area.

The Blackbuck population is around 20-40. Thick acacia growth makes it difficult to determine a precise population count. The Blackbucks regularly come out of the scrubs and graze in wastelands on the eastern side of the sanctuary. 

Visitor information

In 2007 Rs. 7 lakh, earmarked under the Centre's "Development of Sanctuaries" scheme will be spent to repair fencing, increase the height of a watchtower by 14 metres, improve the water supply and erect awareness boards. Also, fruit-yielding tree saplings will be planted to attract more birds.

Nearest airport is at Thoothukudi – 22.22 km. Nearest Railway station is Tirunelveli Junction – 16.5 km  away. 

Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary

Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary or Kunthankulam is a 1.2933 km²(0.4993 sq mi) protected area declared as a sanctuary in 1994. It adjoins the tiny village of Koonthankulam in Nanguneri Taluk ofTirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is just 38 km away fromTirunelveli (a bustling town on the banks of the Tambaraparani River).8.58102°N 77.76123°E It is composed of Koonthankulam and Kadankulam irrigation tanks, conveniently linked by tar road. This is the largest reserve for breeding water birds in South India.

Community involvement

This unique sanctuary is actively protected and managed by the Koonthankulam village community. The local people take a keen interest in protecting this sanctuary and they live together in total symbiotic harmony.

Birds coming to villagers backyards are protected vehemently and regarded as harbingers of luck. The excreta of birds and silt from the tanks is collected by villagers in summer and applied as fertilizer to their fields. All villagers protect the birds, their nests and fledgelings. Fallen chicks are taken care of in the rescue centre till they are able to fly on their own. Anyone disturbing the nests are punished by shaving their head, or making a public procession on a donkey. The Indian festival Diwali is not celebrated here because the sound of crackers would drive away the winged visitors.

An interpretation centre, watch tower, children's park and dormitary are open for public use throughout the year.

Fauna

More than 43 species of resident and migratory water birds visit here every year. More than 100,000 migratory birds start coming by December and fly away to their northern homes by June or July after they lay and hatch eggs and the young ones mature enough to fly with the older ones.

The following migratory birds visit this area from different countries.

·         Bar-headed Goose, Siberia

·         Common Sandpiper, Siberia

·         Common Teal, Siberia

·         Coot Central, Siberia

·         Green Sandpiper, Siberia

·         Greater flamingo, Northern India

·         Pintail, Siberia

·         White stork, Central Asia ^[