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High Wavy Mountains

January 13, 2023

Meghamalai (Tamil: மேகமலை), commonly known as the High Wavy Mountains, is a mountain range located in the Western Ghats in the Theni district near Kumily, Tamil Nadu. It is dotted with cardamom plantations and tea plantations. The mountain range is 1,500 metres above sea level, and it is rich in flora and fauna. The area, now mostly planted with tea plants, includes cloudlands, high wavys, venniar, and the manalar estates belonging to the Woodbriar Group. Access is largely restricted and includes largely untouched remnants of evergreen forest.[1]

Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary

For a long time, there has been a pending proposal with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to establish the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary on 600 km2 of forest in the division. The suggested priority tasks in the sanctuary include: the control of poaching, the use of pesticides for the elimination of ganja (Cannabis sativa) and the cultivation as well as scientific management of watersheds. The Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary can be an excellent buffer to the Periyar Tiger Reserve and Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary which can immensely strengthen the conservation in the southern Western Ghats – the range of hills south of the Palakkad Gap.[2]

Wildlife found on the High Wavy Mountains include Oriental honey buzzard, great pied hornbill, Indian brown mongoose, Jerdon's palm civet, white-bellied short-wing, black-naped monarch, pied thrush, gaur, tiger, leopard, Asian elephant, mouse deer, Ghatixalus asterops, Raorchestes beddomii, Raorchestes ponmudi, Nyctibatrachus sp., Ramanella triangularis, Ramanella montana, Calotes grandisquamis, Hemidactylus anamallensis, Salea anamallayana, Kaestlea travancorica, Kaestlea laterimaculata, Uropeltis madurensis, Uropeltis liura, Calliophis nigrescens, large-scaled pit viper and the enigmatic Hutton's pit viper.

When the high wavys group of estates were managed by Hindustan Unilever, the company started a non-profit organization called the Megamalai Wildlife and Environment Association. It worked with the forest department to protect the endangered species and safeguard the forest and its creatures; it did so by putting up signs promoting the preservation of nature and animals along the Ghat road of Meghamalai. Unfortunately, most of these signs were destroyed in an expansion project that took place on the Ghat road. The forest department has put new signs to replace the damaged ones.[3]

Megamalai Tiger Reserve

On 6 April 2021, the Government of India approved the creation of new Tiger Reserve in tamil nadu[4] and on 11 April 2021, Meghamalai Tiger Reserve was created.[5] Meghamalai Tiger Reserve will now comprise both the Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary & Tirunelveli Wildlife Sanctuary. With its new status as a Tiger reserve, Meghamalai Tiger Reserve has become the 5th Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu[6] and 51st Tiger Reserve in India.[7] It is to be noted that Meghamalai Tiger Reserve also acts as a contiguous patch of forest (earlier buffer zone) for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, via the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition, it is believed that Meghamalai Tiger Reserve will become the crucial corridor/contiguous forest stretch and aid in the movement of wildlife from Periyar Tiger Reserve, to Meghamalai Forests. Wildlife conservationists also hope that with the formation of the Meghamalai Tiger Reserve, greater protection will also be accorded the Vaigai river which originates in Meghamalai.[8] The Tiger reserve will also be known as the Meghamalai-Srivilliputhur Tiger Reserve.

Flora

According to the experts the last extensive study of flora in the biodiversity-rich, Meghamalai have been conducted in the early 1980s. Since then, no comprehensive research has been done on the vegetation. Vegetation ranges from scrub forests at the foothills, ubiquitous expanses of tea and coffee estates, to spice (pepper, cardamom, cinnamon) plantations and finally to the dense evergreen forests at the top.[9]

Fauna

Meghamalai forest area hosts a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies. Resident and migratory elephants are also common. There are hundreds of identified species:

Wildlife of Meghamalai Tiger Reserve

Tourist attractions

 
Magamalai-180 panoramic view

Tea estates and dams

The Highwavys provide a view of the entire mountain range of Varusanadu Hills. There are large private tea, spices, and coffee plantations all around, notably the Highwavys Group of Estates. Ananda Plantations, Ponsiva Plantations, and Fieldmede Estate, are also some of the other small plantations in Meghamalai. An artificial lake makes plenty of scope for leisurely walks. Kardana Coffee Estate is situated in the High Wavy Mountains at 9°42′N 77°24′E / 9.700°N 77.400°E / 9.700; 77.400.[10]

Six dams on the hill and originating place of Suruli Theertham (Suruli falls near Cumbum town) are popular attractions for tourists. From the Manalar dam, one can view the deep Cumbum Valley and the villages of Theni district. The Department of Tourism has planned to introduce a boat or ferry service to enable tourists to access the area.[11]

Vellimalai

The Vellimalai (Silver Mountain, 1,650 m) area is the heart of Meghamalai. Silver-lined clouds seem to rest gently on green hilltops; nestled in this region is the place where the river Vaigai originates. This place offers an opportunity to see wild animals aesthetically and scientifically managed tea gardens.

Falls

Meghamalai Falls (Suruli Falls) is on the Suruli River originating in the Meghamalai Hills. Water flows down 58 meters through the twin falls. There are frequent visits by elephants, spotted deer, gaur, and other wild animals at dawn and dusk. Forest Department officials have plans to assist tourists in viewing these wild animals.

Encroachment threat

Massive encroachments in the reserved forests of almost all divisions in the district have been posing a threat to the eco-system of the Megamalai hills. Of the total 806.86 km2, about 400.77 km2 were degraded forest area. A total of 292.81 km2 falls under dense forest areas, of which only 22.43 km2 was tree bearing. About 220 out of 430 km2 of the Gandamanur forest range under the Madurai Forest Division had encroached in the past four decades. Large areas of Ulloothu Kavu, Anjaraipuli, Elamalaipoodu, Arasaradi, Bommarasapuram, and neighboring villages were also encroached. With an increase in population and their demands, vast stretches of land were either degraded or converted into uni-crop areas, causing damage to the environment. The people settled in the hill tracts were solely dependent on the forests for livelihood. Conservation of natural forest in any form will help preserve biodiversity.[12]

Access

The Meghamalai mountain range can be approached two ways—from Theni via Chinnamanur, or Andipatti via Kandamanayakkanur. Both can be accessed by road from Madurai and Dindigul. Theni is 76 km from Madurai. The road from the turnoff near Chinnamanur before Iravangalar was under the responsibility of the Woodbriar group; due to lack of maintenance, the government has started to maintain it. Only forest lodges and panchayath rest houses are available at the hilltop. Day-trippers may stay in hotels in Theni, Chinnamanur and Andipatti. The distance from Madurai is 130 km.

The website for Mehamalai has a warning against travelling there in June and July.[13][14][15]

Gallery

  •  

    Meghamalai Mountains

  •  

    Meghamalai

  •  

    Cloudy Mountain

  •  

    Manalaru Dam

  •  

    View of Cumbam Valley

  •  

    Wildlife

  •  

    Asian elephant in megamalai tea estate

  •  

    Bisons at Meghamalai

  •  

    Forest

  •  

    Meghamalai

  •  

    Murugan Temple on the foot hill

  •  

    Upper Manalar Estate

  •  

    The Highwavys of Theni district

  •  

    High Wavys Dam

  •  

    Meghamalai Coffee Plant

References

  1. ^ ANGUS F. HUTTON AND PATRICK DAVID (September–December 2008). (PDF). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Bombay Natural History Society. 105 (3): 299–316. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2018.
  2. ^ National Wildlife Data Center (2006) Wildlife Institute of India, retrieved 3/31/2007 List of Proposed Wildlife Sanctuaries in India
  3. ^ "Unilever Global: Making sustainable living commonplace".
  4. ^ Kumar, B. Aravind (6 February 2021). "Srivilliputhur–Megamalai Tiger Reserve in TN approved". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Centre approves Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu". Jagranjosh.com. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  6. ^ P. Oppili (9 February 2021). "'Srivilliputhur-Megamalai as fifth tiger reserve will boost conservation efforts' | Chennai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  7. ^ Sreejith, T. J. "51st Tiger Reserve in India to come up in Meghamalai". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  8. ^ "TN gets its fifth tiger reserve in Srivilliputhur - Megamalai". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  9. ^ Vandhana, M. (10 September 2014). "Lot to be explored of Meghamalai flora". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  10. ^ N. Singaravelan and G. Marimuthu (10 May 2003). "Discovery of a cave as the day roost of a rarest fruit bat Latidens salimalii" (PDF). Current Science. 84 (9).
  11. ^ [Usurped!]
  12. ^ [Usurped!]
  13. ^ June July Safety Warning!, megamalai.com, retrieved 21 January 2015
  14. ^ B. Aravind Kumar; K. Raju (17 March 2016). "Over 100 trees felled to widen road in Meghamalai". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  15. ^ environmentclearance.nic.in (PDF) . Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meghamalai.
  • Megamalai Tamil Nadu, Meghamalai tourist places
  • The Magical Megamalai
  • Meghamalai - A Walk in the Clouds
  • Holiday at the High Wavys
  • The Hidden Paradise
  • Magamalai Tourism
  • Wild Elephants Video-3
  • Meghamalai Video
  • Meghamalai water falls Video
  • Malabar Giant Squirrel Video

January 13, 2023
high, wavy, mountains, this, article, require, cleanup, meet, wikipedia, quality, standards, specific, problem, this, article, read, travel, guide, contrary, purpose, wikipedia, please, help, improve, this, article, june, 2020, learn, when, remove, this, templ. This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia s quality standards The specific problem is this article may read as a travel guide contrary to the purpose of Wikipedia Please help improve this article if you can June 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Meghamalai Tamil ம கமல commonly known as the High Wavy Mountains is a mountain range located in the Western Ghats in the Theni district near Kumily Tamil Nadu It is dotted with cardamom plantations and tea plantations The mountain range is 1 500 metres above sea level and it is rich in flora and fauna The area now mostly planted with tea plants includes cloudlands high wavys venniar and the manalar estates belonging to the Woodbriar Group Access is largely restricted and includes largely untouched remnants of evergreen forest 1 Contents 1 Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary 1 1 Megamalai Tiger Reserve 2 Flora 3 Fauna 3 1 Wildlife of Meghamalai Tiger Reserve 4 Tourist attractions 4 1 Tea estates and dams 4 2 Vellimalai 5 Falls 6 Encroachment threat 7 Access 8 Gallery 9 References 10 External linksMegamalai Wildlife Sanctuary EditFor a long time there has been a pending proposal with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to establish the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary on 600 km2 of forest in the division The suggested priority tasks in the sanctuary include the control of poaching the use of pesticides for the elimination of ganja Cannabis sativa and the cultivation as well as scientific management of watersheds The Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary can be an excellent buffer to the Periyar Tiger Reserve and Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary which can immensely strengthen the conservation in the southern Western Ghats the range of hills south of the Palakkad Gap 2 Wildlife found on the High Wavy Mountains include Oriental honey buzzard great pied hornbill Indian brown mongoose Jerdon s palm civet white bellied short wing black naped monarch pied thrush gaur tiger leopard Asian elephant mouse deer Ghatixalus asterops Raorchestes beddomii Raorchestes ponmudi Nyctibatrachus sp Ramanella triangularis Ramanella montana Calotes grandisquamis Hemidactylus anamallensis Salea anamallayana Kaestlea travancorica Kaestlea laterimaculata Uropeltis madurensis Uropeltis liura Calliophis nigrescens large scaled pit viper and the enigmatic Hutton s pit viper When the high wavys group of estates were managed by Hindustan Unilever the company started a non profit organization called the Megamalai Wildlife and Environment Association It worked with the forest department to protect the endangered species and safeguard the forest and its creatures it did so by putting up signs promoting the preservation of nature and animals along the Ghat road of Meghamalai Unfortunately most of these signs were destroyed in an expansion project that took place on the Ghat road The forest department has put new signs to replace the damaged ones 3 Megamalai Tiger Reserve Edit On 6 April 2021 the Government of India approved the creation of new Tiger Reserve in tamil nadu 4 and on 11 April 2021 Meghamalai Tiger Reserve was created 5 Meghamalai Tiger Reserve will now comprise both the Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary amp Tirunelveli Wildlife Sanctuary With its new status as a Tiger reserve Meghamalai Tiger Reserve has become the 5th Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu 6 and 51st Tiger Reserve in India 7 It is to be noted that Meghamalai Tiger Reserve also acts as a contiguous patch of forest earlier buffer zone for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary via the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary In addition it is believed that Meghamalai Tiger Reserve will become the crucial corridor contiguous forest stretch and aid in the movement of wildlife from Periyar Tiger Reserve to Meghamalai Forests Wildlife conservationists also hope that with the formation of the Meghamalai Tiger Reserve greater protection will also be accorded the Vaigai river which originates in Meghamalai 8 The Tiger reserve will also be known as the Meghamalai Srivilliputhur Tiger Reserve Flora EditAccording to the experts the last extensive study of flora in the biodiversity rich Meghamalai have been conducted in the early 1980s Since then no comprehensive research has been done on the vegetation Vegetation ranges from scrub forests at the foothills ubiquitous expanses of tea and coffee estates to spice pepper cardamom cinnamon plantations and finally to the dense evergreen forests at the top 9 Fauna EditThis section has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message This section may contain indiscriminate excessive or irrelevant examples Please improve the article by adding more descriptive text and removing less pertinent examples See Wikipedia s guide to writing better articles for further suggestions June 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Meghamalai forest area hosts a variety of birds mammals reptiles and butterflies Resident and migratory elephants are also common There are hundreds of identified species Wildlife of Meghamalai Tiger Reserve Edit Spotted deer Spotted dove Barking deer Sambar deer Mouse deer Grizzled giant squirrel Indian flying fox Indian giant squirrel Indian giant flying squirrel Pied thrush Black bulbul Meghamalai rock gecko Black baza White bellied woodpecker White bellied drongo Drongo cuckoo Black naped oriole Black naped monarch Black naped hare Bengal tiger Dhole Great pied hornbill Malabar pied hornbill Oriental honey buzzard Dusky palm squirrel GaurTourist attractions Edit Magamalai 180 panoramic view Tea estates and dams Edit The Highwavys provide a view of the entire mountain range of Varusanadu Hills There are large private tea spices and coffee plantations all around notably the Highwavys Group of Estates Ananda Plantations Ponsiva Plantations and Fieldmede Estate are also some of the other small plantations in Meghamalai An artificial lake makes plenty of scope for leisurely walks Kardana Coffee Estate is situated in the High Wavy Mountains at 9 42 N 77 24 E 9 700 N 77 400 E 9 700 77 400 10 Six dams on the hill and originating place of Suruli Theertham Suruli falls near Cumbum town are popular attractions for tourists From the Manalar dam one can view the deep Cumbum Valley and the villages of Theni district The Department of Tourism has planned to introduce a boat or ferry service to enable tourists to access the area 11 Vellimalai Edit The Vellimalai Silver Mountain 1 650 m area is the heart of Meghamalai Silver lined clouds seem to rest gently on green hilltops nestled in this region is the place where the river Vaigai originates This place offers an opportunity to see wild animals aesthetically and scientifically managed tea gardens Falls EditMeghamalai Falls Suruli Falls is on the Suruli River originating in the Meghamalai Hills Water flows down 58 meters through the twin falls There are frequent visits by elephants spotted deer gaur and other wild animals at dawn and dusk Forest Department officials have plans to assist tourists in viewing these wild animals Encroachment threat EditMassive encroachments in the reserved forests of almost all divisions in the district have been posing a threat to the eco system of the Megamalai hills Of the total 806 86 km2 about 400 77 km2 were degraded forest area A total of 292 81 km2 falls under dense forest areas of which only 22 43 km2 was tree bearing About 220 out of 430 km2 of the Gandamanur forest range under the Madurai Forest Division had encroached in the past four decades Large areas of Ulloothu Kavu Anjaraipuli Elamalaipoodu Arasaradi Bommarasapuram and neighboring villages were also encroached With an increase in population and their demands vast stretches of land were either degraded or converted into uni crop areas causing damage to the environment The people settled in the hill tracts were solely dependent on the forests for livelihood Conservation of natural forest in any form will help preserve biodiversity 12 Access EditThe Meghamalai mountain range can be approached two ways from Theni via Chinnamanur or Andipatti via Kandamanayakkanur Both can be accessed by road from Madurai and Dindigul Theni is 76 km from Madurai The road from the turnoff near Chinnamanur before Iravangalar was under the responsibility of the Woodbriar group due to lack of maintenance the government has started to maintain it Only forest lodges and panchayath rest houses are available at the hilltop Day trippers may stay in hotels in Theni Chinnamanur and Andipatti The distance from Madurai is 130 km The website for Mehamalai has a warning against travelling there in June and July 13 14 15 Gallery Edit Meghamalai Mountains Meghamalai Cloudy Mountain Manalaru Dam View of Cumbam Valley Wildlife Asian elephant in megamalai tea estate Bisons at Meghamalai Forest Meghamalai Murugan Temple on the foot hill Upper Manalar Estate The Highwavys of Theni district High Wavys Dam Meghamalai Coffee PlantReferences Edit ANGUS F HUTTON AND PATRICK DAVID September December 2008 NOTE ON A COLLECTION OF SNAKES FROM SOUTH INDIA WITH EMPHASIS ON THE SNAKE FAUNA OF THE MEGHAMALAI HILLS HIGHWAVYS MOUNTAINS PDF Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society Bombay Natural History Society 105 3 299 316 Archived from the original PDF on 27 March 2018 National Wildlife Data Center 2006 Wildlife Institute of India retrieved 3 31 2007 List of Proposed Wildlife Sanctuaries in India Unilever Global Making sustainable living commonplace Kumar B Aravind 6 February 2021 Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve in TN approved The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 27 May 2021 Centre approves Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu Jagranjosh com 8 February 2021 Retrieved 27 May 2021 P Oppili 9 February 2021 Srivilliputhur Megamalai as fifth tiger reserve will boost conservation efforts Chennai News Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 27 May 2021 Sreejith T J 51st Tiger Reserve in India to come up in Meghamalai Mathrubhumi Retrieved 27 May 2021 TN gets its fifth tiger reserve in Srivilliputhur Megamalai The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 27 May 2021 Vandhana M 10 September 2014 Lot to be explored of Meghamalai flora The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 3 June 2020 N Singaravelan and G Marimuthu 10 May 2003 Discovery of a cave as the day roost of a rarest fruit bat Latidens salimalii PDF Current Science 84 9 Highwavys to become a major tourism spot Usurped Encroachments a threat to Megamalai hills sanctuary plan Usurped June July Safety Warning megamalai com retrieved 21 January 2015 B Aravind Kumar K Raju 17 March 2016 Over 100 trees felled to widen road in Meghamalai The Hindu Retrieved 29 December 2021 environmentclearance nic in PDF https web archive org web 20200411093124 http environmentclearance nic in writereaddata FormB TOR Brief Summary 18 Jul 2016 121332030AUF9CFS8TotalDetails pdf Archived from the original on 11 April 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty title help External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meghamalai Megamalai Tamil Nadu Meghamalai tourist places The Magical Megamalai Meghamalai A Walk in the Clouds Holiday at the High Wavys The Hidden Paradise Magamalai Tourism Wild Elephants Video Wild Elephants Video 2 Wild Elephants Video 3 Meghamalai Video Meghamalai water falls Video Malabar Giant Squirrel Video Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title High Wavy Mountains amp oldid 1121451087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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