Our trip to Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

In March this year we went to Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (India) that is situated at an elevation of about 1000 meters. The 321 sq. km. reserve is situated in Tamil Nadu state. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is a continuation of the Bandipur National Park. The river Moyar that flows along the border separating Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, also separates the two conservation areas. The Mysore - Ooty highway runs through the park. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary was the first sanctuary in south India. The terrain is extremely varied with hills, valleys, ravines, watercourses and swamps. The vegetation comprises of tropical moist deciduous (i.e., leaf-shedding) forests, dry deciduous forests and scrub forests. Compared to the nearby reserves, the climate is warmer in Mudumalai.

The drive from Bangalore to Mudumalai takes about 5 to 6 hours on a well-maintained highway, but since you are in India the driving is like being in a Bollywood movie. Within the Sanctuary we were guided by Bharanaiah, a Forester who had been working there for many years. We arrived around 4.30 pm in the Sanctuary and the first thing I noticed was that there were signboards to tell you that no plastic is allowed in the parks and you had to dispose of all plastic bags at the gate. In the villages near the parks were no plastic bags available and the people were carrying their groceries in their own shopping bags made from recycled material. There were no polystyrene containers, plastic bags and rubbish lying in the parks and people really respect these rules. If you have to take your lunch with you they give it in a paper lunchbox. I was very impressed with this and hope that in future other countries will follow this example and that eventually this is applied to every national park in the world.

            The first wildlife we saw near the roadside were spotted deer and the animals are not shy and they ignored us, and just continued grazing.

We stayed one week in Mudumalai at a pleasant jungle retreat with a magnificent view to the Nilgiri hills. At night, if the sky was clear, the number of stars that you could see was just amazing. For birdwatchers this place is a paradise with so many different birds that are easy to spot. While I sat on my terrace I saw two mongooses crossing the field in front of me and became accustomed to see spotted deer grazing in the garden every morning.

Every day we left with our lunchbox at 7.30 a.m. and the first day we saw elephants near the roadside, and observed them for about half an hour. They a baby and a young animal among the group and were feeding on grasses and on teak saplings. As long as you stay in the jeep it was no problem with the elephants, but there are warning signs that you were not allowed to get out of the car because the elephants can become very dangerous. Two days before we arrived a couple on a motorbike trying to bypass an elephant that was standing on the main road got killed. They ignored everybody’s warning and the elephant became very angry and killed them.

            Not long after seeing the elephants we spotted a male peacock, India’s national bird, and it is amazing to see this magnificent bird flying or walking with his beautiful tail behind him. We were lucky to see him once dancing with all the tail feathers spread out to form a fan, and it’s really a spectaculair bird and nice to see him walking freely in a park instead of a zoo. The female bird is not as attractive as the male and not as often spotted because of her more secretive habits and camouflage.

            Nearby were Langur monkeys and near the roadside was a mother Langur with a baby and it was so cute to see the baby playing and jumping, while mummy Langur kept an eye on us. I took lots of pictures and a short video.

While we drove inside the park we saw Gaur (Indian Bison), Sambar deer and lots of elephants. Along the road we met a student who studied them, recording how they are chatting to each other and the other sounds they make, and interpreting the meaning of the many different sounds. To me this seemed not an easy task but maybe you need your fantasy to guess about their conversation to each other. Most of them had babies and often a tusker (a male elephant with large tusks) was also with the group and they are huge. One time while Hans wanted to take a picture, one of the wildlife guard that accomanied us shouted to him and the others to get into the car and they ran with the tripod and camera towards the car because a group of elephants were on that same trail and came in our direction. Lucky for him they changed route and he could still take the picture.

Below is a list of plants and animals you can see in Mudumalai, some are easy to spot but others rather difficult. Park rules don’t allow night safaris. You may be lucky to see a tiger or leopard at dusk while you drive back to your accommodation. It’s really worth visiting this place, and if you have the chance just go and you wont regret it.

Flora (Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary)

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.

Fauna (Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary)

The fauna include 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 listed for this sanctuary are Peacock-our National bird, Grey Jungle Fowl, Red Spur Fowl, Grey Partridge Quails, Goggle Eyed Plower, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Large Racket-Tailed Drongo, The Magpie-robin, Spotted Babbler, Small Green Barbet, Green Pigeons, Brown Dove, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Bulbuls, Mynahs, etc. Among birds of prey, Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, Harriers, Falcons and King Vulture are predominant, besides some migratory water birds. (http://www.indiawildliferesorts.com/wildlife-sanctuaries/mudumalai-sanctuary.html)