Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary established in 1940 covers an area of 32,155 hectares is situated in Tamil Nadu. It is a continuation part of Bandipur National Park and the two are separated by river Moyar. The Mysore – Ooty highway runs throught the park. Mudumalai, the first wildlife reserve sanctuary in south india. The area contains hills, valleys, ravines, watercourses and swamps. The vegetation in this area consists of tropical moist deciduos forest, dry deciduous forests and scrub forests. The climate is warmer in mudumalai.
One can find all these animals as a part of wildlife in Mudumalai which includes Langur, bonnet macaque, tiger, leopard, wild dog, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, elephants, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, Indian muntjac, mouse deer, wild boar, rodent and flying squirrel. It even has a rich bird life which includes Malabar trogan, Grey hornbill, crested hawk eagle, crested serpent eagle, etc.
The best time to visit the place is from February to June. One can reach this sanctuary through road. The nearest railway station to the place is Udakamandalam. And the nearest airport is Coimbatore. Accommodation can be arranged at forest rest house, guesthouses at Masinagudi, Kargudi, Abhayaranyam and Theppakkadu.
The vegetation is quite varied in this region. The hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, clothed in dense mixed and moist deciduous forests, make Mudumalai (the ancient hills) a most attractive wildlife reserve. Bamboos (Bambusa Arundinacea) Natural teak (Tectona Grandis), Anogeissus latifolia, Terminalia, Crenulata/Terminalia Tomontosa, Grewia, and blooming trees like Indian Labumusum, Aredesia, Solanancea are some of the flora.
Vehicles are available in hire and elephant safari. The nearest airport is at Coimbatore which is 160 kms from the place. The nearest railway station is located at Udhagamandalam at a distance of 65 km and 95 km from Mysore station. One can reach by road the nearest town is Gudalaur 16 km from the place which is situated along the Udhagamandalam – Mysore highway. One can reach here through Mysore also. Regular buses from Udhagamandalam, Mysore and other neighbouring places to the sanctuary areavailable.
There is an elephant camp within the sanctuary named as “Theppakkadu” where there is a rest house also. Accommodation is also available at TTDC's Youth hostel and rest houses in Masinagudi, Abhayaranayam and Kargudi and the Bamboo Banks Farm that is 18-km away.
The fauna in this region includes Elephants, Gaur, Banner, Macaque, Common Langur, Tigers, Leopards, Chital, Panther, Sloth Bear, Python, Barking Deer, Four Horned Antelope, Otter, Crocodiles (Mugger), Giant Flying Squirrel, Sambar, Hyena, Wild Dog, Wild Boar, Mouse Deer, Spotted Deer, Jackal, Hare, Porcupine and Mongoose.
The birds which are found here are Peacock-our National bird, Grey Jungle Fowl, Red Spur Fowl, Grey Partridge Quails, Goggle Eyed Plower, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Large Racket-Tailed Dronge, The Magpie-robin, Spotted Babbler, Small Green Barbet, Green Pigeons, Brown Dove, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Bulbuls, Mynahs, Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, Harriers, Falcons and King Vulture.
