Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in South India
, declared in 2008, and enlarged in 2011, which covers forest area of 1411.6 square kilometre. This is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu
. It covers Sathyamangalam
taluk and parts of Gobichettipalayam Taluk
of Erode District
in the north western Tamil Nadu. This Sanctuary is significant as a wildlife corridor
in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
between the Western Ghats
and the Eastern Ghats
and a genetic link between the four other protected areas which it adjoins, including the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Sigur Plateau
, Mudumalai National Park
and Bandipur National Park
.
There is a proposal to declare this sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve due to the large number of tiger
s seen in the area. In the 2010 wildlife survey, 46 tigers were sighted in the Sathyamangalam forest area.
The Sathyamangalam forest is the only reserve forest
in South India
with a significant presence of tigers, that is not yet declared as one of the tiger reserves in India.
, the Governor of Tamil Nadu
, having considered the area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural and zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating and developing wild life and its environment, declared that the defined area shall be a Sanctuary, on and from the 3rd November 2008.
The sanctuary includes the following areas of Sathyamangalam Forest Division:
The boundaries of the sanctuary are:
In September, 2011, the Forest Department increased the Sanctuary area 169% by adding 887.26 square kilometre in seven reserve forests of Sathyamangalam Forest Division to the existing wildlife sanctuary spread over 524.34 square kilometre. The largest chunks of additional area are 487.92 square kilometre from Guthiyalathur and 319.87 square kilometre from Talamalai reserve forests, thus increasing the total sanctuary area to 1411.6 square kilometre.
, part of the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
ecoregion
. there are five distinct forest types: tropical evergreen
(Shola
), semi-evergreen, mixed-deciduous, dry deciduous
and thorn forest
s. Evergreen forests are restricted to small patches in a few high altitude hill tops of Sathyamamgalam between 750 metres (2,460.6 ft) and 1649 metres (5,410.1 ft). These patches are threatened on account of land use changing to hill agriculture and plantation crops, including fruit. Semi-evergreen forests are found at high altitude. Mixed and dry deciduous forests are located on middle altitude slopes and the thorn forests are usually found in the foot hills and some times, due degradation of dry deciduous forests, at the middle elevations. About 65% of the forest division is under forest cover. Significant areas of mixed Shrubland
and grassland
s support a large population of herbivore
ungulates, the preferred prey of tigers.
The Sathyamangalam forests are especially important because they link the Eastern Ghats
and Western Ghats
allowing gene flow between diverse populations of the two habitats.
In 2011, it was reported that the Sathyamangalam forest is home to over 850 Indian Elephant
s, making it the largest elephant habitat in the country. The 2010 survey counted 12 Bengal Tiger
s.
The 2009 wildlife survey enumerated 10 Bengal Tiger
s, 866 Indian Elephant
s, 672 Gaur
s, and 27 leopard
s. The survey party observed four additional species of horned antelope including 2,348 Spotted deer, 1,068 Blackbuck
, 304 Sambar deer
, 77 Barking deer and Four-horned antelope
, 843 wild boar, 43 Sloth bear
and 15 striped hyena
s
Many Treepie
s, Bulbul
s, Babbler
s, Mynahs and Crow
s were seen.
In 2010, the first ever bird survey in Sathyamangalam Forest Division was conducted in the Bhavanisagar, Sathyamangalam, Thalavadi, T.N. Palayam and Hasanur Ranges. A total of 230 species of birds were recorded in the survey.
As of 2010, a small population of Threatened Gyps
and three other species of Vulture
s have continued to thrive in the Moyar River valley near Mangalapatti in Sathyamangalam Forest Division. These forests have been recognised to be significant areas for the vultures in South India. 20 nests have been sighted and about 40 vultures could be in the area. Vultures were last seen here in the 1970s.
efforts, as the sanctuary managers will get more financial support from the central government. The Government of India may provide support to appoint an additional anti-poaching watchers and fund the establishment of anti-poaching camps.
On July 15, 2010, the India
n Minister of State
for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh
, requested the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi
to: "consider the possibility of proposing the Sathyamangalam Wild Life Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve, vis-a-vis the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
as the area is contiguous with the forests of Chamrajnagar-Bandipur-Mudumalai".
Incidentally, in 2008, the Karnataka Forest Department had sent a proposal to also make declare the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to Sathyamangalam, as a Tiger Reserve. The proposal to notify the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary as a critical tiger habitat was subsequently approved in 2010.
On March 10, 2011, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden R. Sundararaju said that the proposal for according tiger reserve status for the Sathyamangalam Reserve Forests is under consideration. He said that studies using camera traps and scats indicated there could be 19 to 25 tigers in Sathyamangalam forests. He added that Tamil Nadu might have 100 to 110 tigers based on the camera traps and scat examination done in Tamil Nadu's three tiger reserves: Mudumalai National Park
, Indira Gandhi National Park
and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Conservation of the Sathyamangalam Forest Division is administered by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Conservator of Forests, Erode Circle, Roja Nagar, Veerappanchatram Post and the Erode District Forest Officer.
(also known as the Urali) and, Soliga
communities. The forests were also the home of the legendary Indian bandit leader, kidnapper and murderer Koose Muniswamy Veerapan, who made a living poaching
ivory
and sandalwood
from the forests and selling them on the black market. Veerapan was killed by police in October 2004. After Veerapan was killed in 2004, people reported paranormal activities occurring in the forest such as screaming in the middle of the night and unattended lanterns seen deep in the forest. The forest of Sathyamangalam is also known for its ghost sightings and is referred to as "The most haunted place in Tamil Nadu".
NH 209 connecting Coimbatore
to Mysore which joins the State Highway 15 form Erode
via Gobichettipalayam
at Sathyamangalam passes through the forests. It passes through a hilly terrain and has to negotiate 27 hairpin bends.
Now there have been a trekking arranged from Hasanur and Gettavady( near Thalavady) to Thengumarada through dense forest for two days. The distance it covers is nearly 20 km. The trek starts at early morning, camping in forest that night and reaching Thengumarada next afternoon. There is a great opportunity for sighting elephants, Wild boars, deers, Mangoose, Gaurs and Monitor Lizards. Even leopard and tigers are spotted often.
Tourist can have good forest drive through Gobichettiplayam, T N palayam, Kadambur, Germalam and to Hasanur. Enroute one can see all type of forest from dry thorny forest (foot hills of kadambur) to moist evergreen forest (in Germalam region). Kadambur is at an elevation of 900MSL. The ghat road is narrow and very less traffic compared NH47 sathyamagalam to Hasanur route.
There is route to Thalavady via Thalamalai which is very scenic and could see shola forest enroute. Route is open from 6am to 6pm. To go through this route one have to get permission from DFO office at Sathyamangalam or Erode. There are lot of wild animals and sighting the Barking deers are very common in this route.
The stay can be done at government guest house at Hasanur or a cottage one at dhimbam which is very basic.
There are famous temples around Sanctuary including Bannari Amman Temple at the entrance of the Sanctuary, Kongalli Temple in the Thalavady Range which is deep inside the forest.
For contacts:
DFO:
SF No. 193, Raja Nagar, Periya Semoor, Erode - 4
Phone 0424 - 2291722
CONSERVATOR OF FOREST
Address 11, Gandhiji Nagar, Perundurai Road, Erode - 9
Phone 0424 - 2240976
Name FOREST RANGER
Address Bhavani Sagar, Erode (Dt)
Phone 240560
Name DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF FOREST
Address 19, West Park Street, Gobichettipalayam, Erode (Dt)
Phone 228404
Name DISTRICT FOREST OFFICE
Address 2/41, Forest Rest House, Hosanur, Erode (Dt)
Phone 244225
Name DISTRICT FOREST OFFICER
Address Mysore Trunk Road, Sathy, Erode (Dt)
Phone 220312
Name FOREST RANGER (TN Palayam Range)
Address 2/351, GPM Road, Bungalowpudur, Gobi, Erode (Dt)
Phone 260398
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, declared in 2008, and enlarged in 2011, which covers forest area of 1411.6 square kilometre. This is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It covers Sathyamangalam
Sathyamangalam
Sathyamangalam or Sathy is a small city and taluk in Erode district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It lies on both banks of the Bhavani River, a tributary of the Kaveri in the foothills of the Western Ghats...
taluk and parts of Gobichettipalayam Taluk
Gobichettipalayam taluk
Gobichettipalayam taluk is a taluk of Erode district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Gobichettipalayam- Population :...
of Erode District
Erode District
Erode District is a western district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with Erode as its headquarters. Until the year 1996, Erode district was called as Periyar District....
in the north western Tamil Nadu. This Sanctuary is significant as a wildlife corridor
Wildlife corridor
A wildlife corridor or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities . This allows an exchange of individuals between populations, which may help prevent the negative effects of inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity that often occur within...
in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an International Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills range of South India. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster , conjoining the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World...
between the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
and the Eastern Ghats
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats or Eastern Ghauts are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. They are eroded and cut through by the...
and a genetic link between the four other protected areas which it adjoins, including the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Sigur Plateau
Sigur Plateau
Sigur Plateau is a plateau in the north and east of Nilgiri District in the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu, South India. It covers the portion of the Moyar River drainage basin on the northern slopes of the Nilgiri Hills, south of the Moyar River.The Sigur Plateau is notable as an important wildlife...
, Mudumalai National Park
Mudumalai National Park
The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Tamil:முதுமலை வனவிலங்கு காப்பகம், now also declared a Tiger Reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills , in Nilgiri District, about north-west of Coimbatore in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with...
and Bandipur National Park
Bandipur National Park
Bandipur National Park is one of India's best known protected areas and is an important Project Tiger reserve. It is located in the Chamarajanagar district of southern Karnataka in South India,...
.
There is a proposal to declare this sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve due to the large number of tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s seen in the area. In the 2010 wildlife survey, 46 tigers were sighted in the Sathyamangalam forest area.
The Sathyamangalam forest is the only reserve forest
Reserved forests and protected forests of India
A reserved forest or a protected forest in India are terms denoting forests accorded a certain degree of protection. The terms were first introduced in the Indian Forest Act, 1927 in British India, to refer to certain forests granted protection under the British crown in British India, but not...
in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
with a significant presence of tigers, that is not yet declared as one of the tiger reserves in India.
Declaration
In exercise of the powers conferred by the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, Amended 2003
Government of India enacted a comprehensive legislation Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 with the objective of effectively controlling poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its derivatives...
, the Governor of Tamil Nadu
Surjit Singh Barnala
Surjit Singh Barnala is an Indian politician from Punjab. During his career in Indian politics, he has been Governor of four states, Chief Minister of Punjab, a minister in the union cabinet twice and a vice-presidential candidate once.-Early life:Barnala was born in Ateli village, which was then...
, having considered the area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural and zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating and developing wild life and its environment, declared that the defined area shall be a Sanctuary, on and from the 3rd November 2008.
The sanctuary includes the following areas of Sathyamangalam Forest Division:
- Guthiyalathur Reserved Forest (Portion) 299.47 square kilometre,
- Guthiyalathur Extension Reserved Forest 1.6231 square kilometre,
- Thalamalai Reserved Forest (Portion) 210.85 square kilometre,
- Thalamalai Extension Reserved Forest 12.4063 square kilometre,
- The total area is 524.3494 square kilometre
The boundaries of the sanctuary are:
- North: TalavadyTalavadyTalavadi is a village in Sathyamangalam Taluk, Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India, located at , south of Suvarnavathi Reservoir on a local road off NH 209, and north of Thalamalai. It is just north of Sathyamangalam Wildllife Sanctuary....
(Thalavadi) Range of Thalamalai Reserved Forest and Hasanur and T.N.Palayam (Gobichettipalayam TalukGobichettipalayam talukGobichettipalayam taluk is a taluk of Erode district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Gobichettipalayam- Population :...
) Ranges of Guthiyalathur Reserved Forests. Contiguous with Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary - East: Bargur reserved forest Bhavani talukBhavani talukBhavani taluk is a taluk of Erode district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Bhavani- Population :According to the 2001 census, the taluk had a population of 423708, with a literacy rate of 58.97%....
of ErodeErodeErode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
Forest Division. - South: Moyar River and Bhavani RiverBhavani RiverThe Bhavani is the second largest river in Tamil Nadu, South India and a major tributary of the Kaveri River, the longest river in Tamil Nadu.-Description:...
. Contiguous with Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary and Sigur Plateau south of the Moyar River. - West: KarnatakaKarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
State Boundary. Contiguous with Bandipur National Park.
In September, 2011, the Forest Department increased the Sanctuary area 169% by adding 887.26 square kilometre in seven reserve forests of Sathyamangalam Forest Division to the existing wildlife sanctuary spread over 524.34 square kilometre. The largest chunks of additional area are 487.92 square kilometre from Guthiyalathur and 319.87 square kilometre from Talamalai reserve forests, thus increasing the total sanctuary area to 1411.6 square kilometre.
Flora
The Sathyamangalam forest is mostly tropical dry forestTropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests
The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest biome, also known as tropical dry forest, is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive several hundred centimeters of rain per year, they have long dry seasons...
, part of the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
The South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests is a dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. The ecoregion lies in the southern Deccan Plateau, within the Western Ghats' rain shadow. It receives of rain annually, much less than the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests and South...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
. there are five distinct forest types: tropical evergreen
South Western Ghats montane rain forests
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an ecoregion of southern India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats range in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, at elevations over 1000 meters...
(Shola
Shola
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating...
), semi-evergreen, mixed-deciduous, dry deciduous
Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests
The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest biome, also known as tropical dry forest, is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive several hundred centimeters of rain per year, they have long dry seasons...
and thorn forest
Thorn forest
A thorn forest is a dense, scrublike vegetation characteristic of dry subtropical and warm temperate areas with a seasonal rainfall averaging . This vegetation covers a large part of southwestern North America and southwestern Africa and smaller areas in Africa, South America, and Australia...
s. Evergreen forests are restricted to small patches in a few high altitude hill tops of Sathyamamgalam between 750 metres (2,460.6 ft) and 1649 metres (5,410.1 ft). These patches are threatened on account of land use changing to hill agriculture and plantation crops, including fruit. Semi-evergreen forests are found at high altitude. Mixed and dry deciduous forests are located on middle altitude slopes and the thorn forests are usually found in the foot hills and some times, due degradation of dry deciduous forests, at the middle elevations. About 65% of the forest division is under forest cover. Significant areas of mixed Shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
and grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s support a large population of herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
ungulates, the preferred prey of tigers.
Fauna
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats or Eastern Ghauts are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. They are eroded and cut through by the...
and Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
allowing gene flow between diverse populations of the two habitats.
In 2011, it was reported that the Sathyamangalam forest is home to over 850 Indian Elephant
Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
s, making it the largest elephant habitat in the country. The 2010 survey counted 12 Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s.
The 2009 wildlife survey enumerated 10 Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s, 866 Indian Elephant
Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
s, 672 Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
s, and 27 leopard
Indian leopard
The Indian leopard is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the five big cats found in India, apart from Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard....
s. The survey party observed four additional species of horned antelope including 2,348 Spotted deer, 1,068 Blackbuck
Blackbuck
Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
, 304 Sambar deer
Sambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
, 77 Barking deer and Four-horned antelope
Four-horned Antelope
The Four-horned Antelope , or Chousingha, is a small antelope found in open forest in India and Nepal. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Tetracerus.-Description:...
, 843 wild boar, 43 Sloth bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
and 15 striped hyena
Striped Hyena
The Striped Hyena is a species of true hyena native to North and East Africa, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Middle and Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
s
Many Treepie
Treepie
The treepies comprise four closely related genera of long-tailed passerine birds in the family Corvidae...
s, Bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s, Babbler
Babbler
Babbler may refer to:* Old World babbler, a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds* Australo-Papuan babbler, passerine birds endemic to Australia-New Guinea* The Babbler, the journal of BirdLife International in Indochina...
s, Mynahs and Crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s were seen.
In 2010, the first ever bird survey in Sathyamangalam Forest Division was conducted in the Bhavanisagar, Sathyamangalam, Thalavadi, T.N. Palayam and Hasanur Ranges. A total of 230 species of birds were recorded in the survey.
As of 2010, a small population of Threatened Gyps
Gyps
The Gyps vultures are a genus of Old World vultures in the bird family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks....
and three other species of Vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
s have continued to thrive in the Moyar River valley near Mangalapatti in Sathyamangalam Forest Division. These forests have been recognised to be significant areas for the vultures in South India. 20 nests have been sighted and about 40 vultures could be in the area. Vultures were last seen here in the 1970s.
Conservation
The Government of Tamil Nadu will initiate action soon to declare Sathyamangalam sanctuary as a tiger reserve because many tigers are consistently being sighted in the forest here. This tiger reserve declaration is expected to strengthen wildlife conservationWildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
efforts, as the sanctuary managers will get more financial support from the central government. The Government of India may provide support to appoint an additional anti-poaching watchers and fund the establishment of anti-poaching camps.
On July 15, 2010, the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh
Jairam Ramesh
Jairam Ramesh born April 9, 1954, is an Indian economist and an influential politician of the Congress Party in the United Progressive Alliance ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the Government of India. He is a Member of Parliament representing Andhra Pradesh state in the...
, requested the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
to: "consider the possibility of proposing the Sathyamangalam Wild Life Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve, vis-a-vis the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 refers to a sweeping package of legislation enacted in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks...
as the area is contiguous with the forests of Chamrajnagar-Bandipur-Mudumalai".
Incidentally, in 2008, the Karnataka Forest Department had sent a proposal to also make declare the Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to Sathyamangalam, as a Tiger Reserve. The proposal to notify the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary as a critical tiger habitat was subsequently approved in 2010.
On March 10, 2011, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Tamil Nadu Forest Department
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department was established as the Madras Forest Department in 1855 by Dr. Hugh Francis Cleghorn, "the father of scientific forestry in India". The department is responsible for managing all the protected areas and forests plus environmental and wildlife related issues of Tamil...
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden R. Sundararaju said that the proposal for according tiger reserve status for the Sathyamangalam Reserve Forests is under consideration. He said that studies using camera traps and scats indicated there could be 19 to 25 tigers in Sathyamangalam forests. He added that Tamil Nadu might have 100 to 110 tigers based on the camera traps and scat examination done in Tamil Nadu's three tiger reserves: Mudumalai National Park
Mudumalai National Park
The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Tamil:முதுமலை வனவிலங்கு காப்பகம், now also declared a Tiger Reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills , in Nilgiri District, about north-west of Coimbatore in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with...
, Indira Gandhi National Park
Indira Gandhi National Park
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is a protected area named after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who visited the park on October 7, 1961. It is often called "Topslip", a village in the northeast corner of the park which is the main visitor center. This name is derived from the local...
and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve , situated in the Southern Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the second largest protected area in Tamil Nadu State.-History:...
Conservation of the Sathyamangalam Forest Division is administered by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Tamil Nadu Forest Department
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department was established as the Madras Forest Department in 1855 by Dr. Hugh Francis Cleghorn, "the father of scientific forestry in India". The department is responsible for managing all the protected areas and forests plus environmental and wildlife related issues of Tamil...
Conservator of Forests, Erode Circle, Roja Nagar, Veerappanchatram Post and the Erode District Forest Officer.
Culture
These forests are home to indigenous tribal people belonging largely to the IrulaIrulas
Irulas are a scheduled tribe of India. Irulas are present in various parts of India, but are mainly located in the Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu...
(also known as the Urali) and, Soliga
Soliga
A Soliga is a member of a tribe in India that inhabits the Biligirirangan and associated hill ranges in Southern Karnataka, mostly in Chamarajanagar District, bordering the Erode district of Tamil Nadu . Most of them are concentrated in and around the BR Hills in Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of...
communities. The forests were also the home of the legendary Indian bandit leader, kidnapper and murderer Koose Muniswamy Veerapan, who made a living poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
and sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
from the forests and selling them on the black market. Veerapan was killed by police in October 2004. After Veerapan was killed in 2004, people reported paranormal activities occurring in the forest such as screaming in the middle of the night and unattended lanterns seen deep in the forest. The forest of Sathyamangalam is also known for its ghost sightings and is referred to as "The most haunted place in Tamil Nadu".
Visitor activities
National HighwayNational Highway 209 (India)
National Highway 209 is a National Highway in Southern India. It starts from Dewan Madhao Rao road in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru in Karnataka and ends at NH 7 at Vedasandur north of Dindigul District in Tamil Nadu. The road crosses Kaveri river between Malavalli and Sattegal and it crosses from...
NH 209 connecting Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
to Mysore which joins the State Highway 15 form Erode
Erode
Erode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
via Gobichettipalayam
Gobichettipalayam
Gobi or Gobichettipalayam is a Municipality in Erode District of Tamil Nadu state, India. A major part of present Gobichettipalayam was previously known as Veerapandi Gramam, and documents and records still use that name. Gobichettipalayam is an important city in the North- Western part of Erode...
at Sathyamangalam passes through the forests. It passes through a hilly terrain and has to negotiate 27 hairpin bends.
Now there have been a trekking arranged from Hasanur and Gettavady( near Thalavady) to Thengumarada through dense forest for two days. The distance it covers is nearly 20 km. The trek starts at early morning, camping in forest that night and reaching Thengumarada next afternoon. There is a great opportunity for sighting elephants, Wild boars, deers, Mangoose, Gaurs and Monitor Lizards. Even leopard and tigers are spotted often.
Tourist can have good forest drive through Gobichettiplayam, T N palayam, Kadambur, Germalam and to Hasanur. Enroute one can see all type of forest from dry thorny forest (foot hills of kadambur) to moist evergreen forest (in Germalam region). Kadambur is at an elevation of 900MSL. The ghat road is narrow and very less traffic compared NH47 sathyamagalam to Hasanur route.
There is route to Thalavady via Thalamalai which is very scenic and could see shola forest enroute. Route is open from 6am to 6pm. To go through this route one have to get permission from DFO office at Sathyamangalam or Erode. There are lot of wild animals and sighting the Barking deers are very common in this route.
The stay can be done at government guest house at Hasanur or a cottage one at dhimbam which is very basic.
There are famous temples around Sanctuary including Bannari Amman Temple at the entrance of the Sanctuary, Kongalli Temple in the Thalavady Range which is deep inside the forest.
For contacts:
DFO:
SF No. 193, Raja Nagar, Periya Semoor, Erode - 4
Phone 0424 - 2291722
CONSERVATOR OF FOREST
Address 11, Gandhiji Nagar, Perundurai Road, Erode - 9
Phone 0424 - 2240976
Name FOREST RANGER
Address Bhavani Sagar, Erode (Dt)
Phone 240560
Name DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF FOREST
Address 19, West Park Street, Gobichettipalayam, Erode (Dt)
Phone 228404
Name DISTRICT FOREST OFFICE
Address 2/41, Forest Rest House, Hosanur, Erode (Dt)
Phone 244225
Name DISTRICT FOREST OFFICER
Address Mysore Trunk Road, Sathy, Erode (Dt)
Phone 220312
Name FOREST RANGER (TN Palayam Range)
Address 2/351, GPM Road, Bungalowpudur, Gobi, Erode (Dt)
Phone 260398
External sources
- Indian tribe secures unprecedented rights to tiger reserve Survival International
- 77 Photos (Flickr) at Sathyamangalam Forest Division
- Flickr Gallery Photos, at Thengumarahada village on Moyer River
- Tipu Sultan - the Sathyamangalam connection text and photos