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> Mudumalai |
Mudumalai |
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Terrain |
Mudumalai is located at the foot of the Nilgiri
hills or Blue Mountains, in Tamil Nadu. The Bandipur National
Park in the north and the Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary in the west
adjoin Mudumalai, which lies at lower elevations ranging from
350-1,250 m. Its varied terrain consists of hills, valleys,
ravines, flats and swampland. The highest point is at Markundarai
Betta 1,266 m above sea level. Mudumalai receives more rain
than Bandipur and many small streams drain the park. Thick forests
are found here snaking through the heavy undergrowth. The Moyar
river, which is perennial, and also the most important water
source, runs north to south across the area while its tributaries
flow in the east; the Bennehole flows in the west.
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Waterholes and Trails |
Elephants can be seen on any of their migratory
routes, for example, the stretch between Masinagudi and Singara.
Lone elephants or herds often stop to quench their thirst at
the Moyar river. The highway from Udhagamandalam to Mysore runs
parallel to the Moyar for a while. Crocodiles, otters and amphibians
are found in the waters or basking on the banks. Blackbuck can
be sighted in Mangalapatti, the eastern end of the sanctuary.
Station yourself near a machan or a saltlick overlooking a waterhole,
to watch wildlife, unobserved.
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Vegetation |
| A gradient in rainfall leads to a varied distribution
of flora. Grasslands, semi-evergreen forests, moist and dry
deciduous forests and dry thorn forests are some of the types
of vegetation that exist here. Wet bamboo along the shady region
and riverside forests lend great character and diversity to
the area's botanical inheritance.
Terminalia crenulata and Shorea roxburgi predominate in the
north while the southern tip boasts of the strong Tectona
grandis. The Flame of the Forest, the Indian silk cotton tree
and the Indian coral tree add a dash of orange, yellow and
red to the green tones of the forest.
Terminalia bellirica flowers gift a sweet, honey-like bouquet
to the wind. Near the Sigur range, short straggly trees like
the Ziziphus and Acacia species are found. Different grass
species flourish demonstrating secondary succession after
forest fires. Along the waterways, Mangifera indica, Terminalia
arjuna, Syzygium cumuni, Dalbergia latifolia and Bambusa arundinacea
are seen. Schleichera oleosa has bright red leaves, Ficus
and Pongamia species also prefer the periphery of water bodies
One of the most interesting features of the vegetation in
Mudumalai is its phenology, the infallible recurrence of its
natural composition with cyclic changes in climate Flowering
(look out for the bamboo flowering) predominantly occurs in
the summer, combined with the shedding of leaves to avoid
excessive water loss. Seeing a bamboo flower, may be a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity. In the bamboo species, annual flowering is only
sporadic. Periodically, at an interval varying from 20-60
years depending on the species, gregarious flowering occurs.
When that happens, there are flowers on virtually every clump
which thereafter dies. The periodicity of gregarious flowering
for various bamboo species is:
Bambusa bamboos (30-40 years)
Bambusa polymorpha (60 years)
Melocanna (30 years)
Dendrocalamus strictus (20-22 years)
Excessive cattle grazing has resulted in the growth of weeds
like lantana that hinder the natural regeneration process
of the forests.
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Take a Break |
The Moyar Falls are breathtaking. From an observation
post you can see water gushing down from a height of more than
150 m. There are two additional waterfalls on the Sigur range
to the east. Theppakadu Elephant Camp is an artificial enclosure
where elephants are reared in captivity and trained to carry
logs. This camp is believed to be the largest in the country.
Quite a contrast from the wild pachyderms in the sanctuary!
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