Mizoram Tiger Reserves UPSC

Dampa Tiger Reserve

1. Dampa Tiger Reserve is located in the Mamit District of the state of Mizoram in northeastern India.
2. It lies along the international border with Bangladesh.
3. In 1985, Dampa Wildlife Sanctuary was initially declared under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
4. In 1994-95, Dampa Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as a tiger reserve.
5. Area: Dampa Tiger Reserve covers an approximate area of 500 square kilometers (193 square miles).
1. Core: 500 sq.km.
2. Buffer: 488 sq.km.
3. Total: 988 sq.km.
6. Hills: The highest point of the Dampa Tiger Reserve is the Chhawrpialtlang with an altitude of 1095m. Other peaks are Dampatlang (869 M) and Pathlawilunglentlang (780 m).
7. River: Here are the rivers that flow through the reserve:
1. Khawthlangtuipui River
2. Teirei River
3. Tributaries of Teirei River (Keisalam River, Seling River, and Aivapui River)
8. Flora: Tropical Evergreen Forests, Semi-Evergreen Forests, Bamboo Forests.
9. Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Golden Cat, Leopard Cat, Marbled Cat, Wild Dog (Dhole), Himalayan Black Bear, Malayan Sun Bear, Indian Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Serow, Great Indian Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Indian Rock Python, King Cobra Bengal Monitor Lizard, Indian Flying Lizard etc.
10. Dampa had one of the highest population densities of clouded leopards.

Arunachal Pradesh Tiger Reserves UPSC

Arunachal Pradesh is home to 3 tiger reserves.

1. Pakke Tiger Reserve

1. Pakke Tiger Reserve is located in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in India.
2. It is nestled in the eastern Himalayan foothills.
3. It is also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve.
4. In 1996, the area of Pakke Tiger Reserve was initially established as Pakhui Reserve Forest.
5. In 1977, it was established as a wildlife sanctuary.
6. In 1999-2000, Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger.
7. It was the 26th Tiger Reserve in India.
8. In 2011, the Hornbill Nest Adoption Program (HNAP), in collaboration with the Ghora-Aabhe Society (which is a village council) and the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department was adopted.
9. In 2016, Pakke Tiger Reserve was honored with the India Biodiversity Award. It received the award in the category of ‘Conservation of threatened species’ for its innovative Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.
10. In 2021, the Arunachal Pradesh state cabinet adopted the ‘Pakke Declaration,’ also known as the “Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 Declaration on Climate Change Resilient and Responsive Arunachal Pradesh.”
11. Area: The area of Pakke Tiger Reserve is as follows:
1. Core: 861.95 Sq. Km
2. Buffer: 515.00 Sq. Km.
3. Total: 1276.95 Sq. Km
12. River: Following river flow through the reserve:
1. The Bhareli River (Kameng River) forms the western and northern boundaries of the tiger reserve.
2. The Pakke River, after which the reserve is named, flows along its eastern boundary.
13. Some of the main perennial streams include:
1. Nameri Stream
2. Khari Stream
3. Upper Dikorai Stream
14. Tribe: The Nyishi community is an indigenous tribe that resides in the vicinity of the tiger reserve.
15. Flora: Some key vegetation types found within the reserve: Assam Valley Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forest, Subtropical Broadleaved Forests, Lowland Moist Forests.
16. Fauna: Tigers, Leopards, Asian Elephants, Hornbills, Clouded Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, Gaur, Sambar, Hornbills, Himalayan Monal, King Cobra, Assam Roofed Turtle, Monitor Lizards etc.

2. Kamlang Tiger Reserve

1. Kamlang Tiger Reserve is located in the south-eastern part of the Lohit District of Arunachal Pradesh in India.
2. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas.
3. It is surrounded by the Kamlang River on the Northern side and Namdapha National Park on the Southern side.
4. In 1989, Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary was established as a protected area.
5. In 2016, Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve under Project Tiger.
6. Area: Kamlang Tiger Reserve covers an area of approximately 783 square kilometers (302 square miles).
7. Its elevation ranges from 200 meters (656 feet) to 4,572 meters (15,000 feet) above sea level.
8. River: The reserve is named after the Kamlang River, which flows through it.
9. Lake: Glow Lake is located within Kamlang Tiger Reserve.
10. Tribe: The Mishmi, Digaro Mishmi, and Miju Mishmi are some of the tribal communities that reside in the vicinity of the reserve.
11. Flora: Tropical Evergreen Forests (Dipterocarpus, Terminalia, Syzygium, Mesua, and Canarium), Subtropical Broadleaf Forests (Castanopsis, Altingia, Michelia, Engelhardtia, Lithocarpus, and Rhododendron), Alpine Vegetation, Bamboo Groves.
12. Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Marbled Cat, Snow Leopard, Asian Elephant, Sambar, Barking Deer, Golden Cat, Malayan Sun Bear, Slow Loris, Stump-tailed Macaque, Capped Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, Takin, White-bellied Heron, Great Hornbill, Assam Roofed Turtle, Indian Rock Python, Monitor Lizards etc.

3. Namdapha Tiger Reserve

1. The Namdapha Tiger Reserve is located in the Changlang District of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.
2. In 1972, the Government of India declared the Namdapha region as a wildlife sanctuary.
3. In 1983, the Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary was upgraded to a tiger reserve.
4. In 1983, a significant portion of Namdapha Tiger Reserve was declared as Namdapha National Park.
5. Area: The core or critical tiger habitat within the reserve is approximately 1807.82 square kilometers (698.14 square miles).
1. Core: 1807.82 sq km
2. Buffer: 245 sq km
3. Total: 2052.82 sq km
6. River: The reserve is named after the Namdapha River, which flows through it. other rivers are:
1. Namdapha River
2. Noa-Dihing River
3. Diyun River
4. Dapha River
5. Deban River
7. Tribe: Here are a few prominent tribes that are associated with the Namdapha Tiger Reserve:
1. Tangsa Tribe
2. Lisu Tribe:
3. Singpho Tribe
8. Flora: The reserve encompasses various forest types, including the following:
1. Northern Tropical Evergreen Forest or Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest (Dipterocarpus species),
2. North Indian Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests (Terminalia and Duabanga),
3. East Himalayan Moist Temperate Forests,
4. Moist Alpine Scrub Forests,
5. Assam Valley Alluvial Plains Semi-evergreen Forests,
6. Eastern Hollock Forests.
9. Fauna: Tiger, Jaguar, Snow leopard, Elephants, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Sun Bear, Hoolock Gibbon, Slow Loris, Goral, Serow, Sambar, Namdapha Flying Squirrel, Great Pied Hornbill, White Winged Wood Duck, King Cobra.

Assam Tiger Reserves UPSC

Assam is home to 4 tiger reserves.

1. Manas Tiger Reserve

1. Manas Tiger Reserve is located in the Kokrajhar, Chirang, Buxa and Udalguri District of Assam, India.
2. It is situated at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas.
3. To the north, it is separated from the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan by the River Manas and its tributaries- Beki and Hakua; while to the west, it is separated from the Buxa Tiger Reserve of West Bengal by the River Sankosh.
4. In 1907, Manas was initially declared a Reserve Forest.
5. In 1928, it was designated as a Game Sanctuary under the British government’s Forest Act of 1927.
6. In 1950, Manas Game Sanctuary was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
7. In 1973, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Manas Tiger Reserve.
8. In 1985, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Natural).
9. In 1989, it was declared as a Biosphere Reserve by government of India.
10. In 1990, Manas was designated as a National Park.
11. In 2003, it was declared as an Elephant Reserve.
12. In 2008, Manas Tiger Reserve was identified as a Critical Tiger Habitat.
13. In 2014, Manas was recognized as a Tiger Source Site for Conservation.
14. Area: Manas Tiger Reserve covers a total area of 2,837.31 square kilometers (1,095.65 square miles).
1. Core: 526.22 sq.km
2. Buffer: 2310.88 sq.km
3. Total: 2837.31 sq.km.
15. River: The reserve is named after the Manas River. Manas River flow through the heart of Manas Tiger Reserve before joining the Brahmaputra River.
16. Flora: Sal Forests, Khair-Sisoo Forests, Scrub Forests, Semi-Evergreen Forests, Mixed Deciduous Forests, Grasslands etc.
17. Fauna: Tiger, Indian Elephants, Indian Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffaloes, Gaurs, Barasingha, Asian Golden Cats, Dholes, Chinese Pangolin, Bengal Florican, Slender-billed Vulture, Assam Roofed Turtle, Monitor Lizards etc.
18. One of the notable conservation initiatives in Manas was the successful translocation of Indian rhinoceros from the Kaziranga National Park.

2. Nameri Tiger Reserve

1. Nameri Tiger Reserve is located in the Sonitpur district of the state of Assam in northeastern India.
2. It is situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.
3. The reserve is named after the Nameri River, which flows through it.
4. In 1978, a portion of the Sonitpur Reserve Forest was declared as the Nameri Wildlife Sanctuary.
5. In 1999-2000, the Government of India declared Nameri Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve.
6. Area: Nameri Tiger Reserve covers an approximate area of 344 square kilometers.
1. Core: 200 sq.km.
2. Buffe: 144 sq.km.
3. Total: 344 sq.km.
7. River:  The Nameri Tiger Reserve is traversed by the Jia-Bhoroli River, which is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River. The reserve is also home to several tributaries of the Jia-Bhoroli River, including the Nameri River, Upper Dikorai River, and Bor Dikorai River.
8. Flora: Main forest types and vegetation found within the reserve:
1. Assam Valley Tropical Evergreen Forests,
2. Sub-Himalayan Light Alluvial Semi-Evergreen Forests,
3. Eastern Alluvial Secondary Semi-Evergreen Forests,
4. Cane Brakes,
5. Low Alluvial Savanna Woodland,
6. Eastern Hollock Forests,
7. Eastern Seasonal Swamp Forests,
8. Eastern Dillenia Swamp Forests,
9. Eastern Wet Alluvial Grassland.
9. Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Wild Dog, Asian Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Sloth Bear, Slow Loris, White Winged Wood Duck, Great Hornbill, White-rumped Vulture, Slender Billed Vulture,  Assam Roofed Turtle, Bengal Monitor Lizard etc.
10. Nameri Tiger Reserve is famous for the White Winged Wood Duck.

3. Orang Tiger Reserve

1. Orang Tiger Reserve is located in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam in India.
2. The reserve is situated on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River.
3. Orang Tiger Reserve is referred to as the “Mini Kaziranga National Park” due to its resemblance to Kaziranga National Park.
4. In 1985, Orang was initially established as a wildlife sanctuary.
5. In 1999, the Orang Wildlife Sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a national park. It was renamed as the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park.
6. In 2016, Orang National Park was declared as a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger initiative.
7. It was the 49th Tiger Reserve in India.
8. Area: The Orang Tiger Reserve encompasses a total area of approximately 492.46 square kilometers.
1. Core- 79.28 sq.km
2. Buffer- 413.18 sq.km
3. Total- 492.46 sq.km
9. River: The Orang Tiger Reserve is bordered by three rivers:
1. Pachnoi River
2. Dhanshiri River
3. Belsiri River
10. Flora: Rosewood, jackfruit, silk cotton tree, Indian gooseberry, brahmi, Grasslands etc.
11. Fauna: Tiger, Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo, Pigmy Hog, Great Pied Hornbill, Indian Roller, Assam Roofed Turtle, Bengal Monitor Lizard etc.
12. Orang Tiger Reserve is the only stronghold of One-horned Rhinoceros on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river.

4. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve

1. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve is located in the Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts of Assam in India.
2. The Kaziranga Tiger Reserve is primarily known for its Indian one-horned rhinoceros population.
3. In 1950, Kaziranga was designated as a wildlife sanctuary, primarily to protect the Indian one-horned rhinoceros.
4. In 1974, it was declared a national park.
5. In 1985, Kaziranga National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
6. In 2008-09, Kaziranga was declared a tiger reserve, known as Kaziranga Tiger Reserve.
7. Area: Kaziranga Tiger Reserve spans an area of:
1. Core area : 482.0385 sq km
2. Buffer area : 573.8555 sq km
3. Total : 1055.894 sq km
8. River: Diphlu River, also known as the Diffalu River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River and flows through the core area of the reserve. In addition to the Diphlu River, another tributary called the Moradifalu flows along the southern boundary of the reserve.
9. Flora: Some of the prominent vegetation types found in Kaziranga:
1. Eastern Wet Alluvial Grasslands,
2. Assam Alluvial Plains Semi-Evergreen Forests (Bombax ceiba, Dillenia indica, Lagerstroemia speciosa, and Ficus species),
3. Tropical Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests (Terminalia arjuna, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Albizia procera, and Tectona grandis),
4. Sandy “Chaurs”.
10. Fauna: Tiger, Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, Eastern Swamp Deer, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur, Gangetic River Dolphin, Great Indian Hornbill, Bengal Florican, Bengal Monitor, Common Indian Monitor, Assam Roofed Turtle etc.
11. Kaziranga sanctuary hosts two-thirds of the world’s great One-horned Rhinoceroses.
12. Kaziranga has the largest population of the Wild Water Buffalo anywhere accounting for about 57% of the world population.

Kerala Tiger Reserves UPSC

Kerala has 2 designated tiger reserves.

1. Periyar Tiger Reserve

1. Periyar Tiger Reserve is located in the Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala in India.
2. The reserve is named after the Periyar River.
3. In 1934, Maharaja of Travancore declared the area as a wildlife sanctuary.
4. In 1950, it was founded as Nellikkampatty Reserve and consolidated as a wildlife sanctuary after the political integration of India.
5. In 1978, the Government of India declared the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve.
6. In 1991, Periyar Tiger Reserve was included in Project Elephant.
7. In 2018, Periyar Tiger Reserve bagged the title of the Best managed Tiger Reserve among 50 Tiger Reserves in the country in terms of Management Effectiveness Assessment by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
8. Area: The Periyar Tiger Reserve covers an total area of approximately 925 square kilometers (357 square miles).
1. Core: 881 square kilometers
2. Buffer Zone: 44 square kilometers
3. Total Area: 925 square kilometers
9. Hills: Periyar Tiger Reserve is situated in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the Southern Western Ghats.
10. River: Pamba, Mullayar and Periyar river flow through the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The major portion of the Reserve forms the catchment of River Periyar and the rest is that of River Pamba.
11. Lake: Periyar Lake loacted in the tiger reserve. It is an artificial lake created by the construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam.
12. Tribe: Major tribal communities found within the Periyar Tiger Reserve:
1. Mannans
2. Paliyans
3. Malayarayans
4. Mala Pandarams
5. Uralis
6. Ulladans
13. Flora: Tropical Evergreen Forests, Semi-Evergreen Forests, Moist Deciduous Forests, Transitional Fringe Evergreen Forests, Grasslands, Eucalyptus Plantations etc.
14. Fauna: Tiger, Elephant, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Indian Bison, Nilgiri Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Monitor Lizards etc.

2. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

1. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is located in Palakkad and Thrissur districts of Kerala, India.
2. It is part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
3. In 1973, the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was established under the Kerala Forest Act, 1961.
4. In 2009, the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a Tiger Reserve.
5. Area: The reserve spans an area of about 643 square kilometers (248 square miles).
1. Core: 390.89 Km2
2. Buffer: 252.77 Km2
3. Total: 643.66 Km2
6. River: Some of the prominent rivers in the reserve are:
1. Parambikulam River
2. Thunakadavu River
3. Peruvaripallam River
7. Lake: Major man-made reservoirs in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve are:
1. Parambikulam Reservoir
2. Thunacadavu Reservoir (Thunakkadavu)
3. Peruvaripallam Reservoir
8. Tribe: Tribes residing in the reserve are:
1. Kadar
2. Malasar
3. Muduvar
4. Mala Malasar
9. Flora: Evergreen Forests (Indian cinnamon,Ceylon ironwood, white dammar, and gurjan), Moist Deciduous Forests (teak, Indian laurel, crepe myrtle, and anjan), Shola Forests, Grasslands etc.
10. Fauna: Tigers, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Tahr, Elephants, Dhole, Sambar, Nilgiri Langurs, Sloth Bears, Nilgiri Marten, Gaur, Great Pied Hornbill, Western Ghats Flying Lizard, Malabar Pit Viper etc.

Tamil Nadu Tiger Reserves UPSC

Tamil Nadu has five tiger reserves.

1. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

1. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state in India.
2. It is situated at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
3. It is part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
4. In 1857, the British Government rented the Mudumalai forest from the Raja of Neelambur for logging purposes.
5. In 1940, Mudumalai forest was established as the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.
6. In 1986, the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary was incorporated into the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which is the first biosphere reserve in India.
7. In 1990, the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as Mudumalai National Park.
8. In 2007, Mudumalai National Park was designated as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger.
9. Area: The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve covers an approximate area of 321 square kilometers (124 square miles).
1. Core: 321.00 km2
2. Buffer: 367.59 km2
3. Total: 688.59 km2
10. Hills: The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri Hills are part of the Western Ghats.
11. River: The Moyar River flows through the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
12. Tribe: Some of the prominent tribal communities found in and around the tiger reserve are:
1. Todas
2. Kurumbas
3. Irulas
13. Flora: Semi-evergreen Forests, Moist Deciduous Forests, Dry Deciduous Forests, Scrub Forests, Swampy Areas (Vayals), Grasslands etc.
14. Fauna: Tiger, Asian Elephant, Indian Gaur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Trogon, Indian Chameleon, Monitor Lizard etc.

2. Anamalai Tiger Reserve

1. Anaimalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi and Valparai taluks of Coimbatore District and Udumalaipettai taluk in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, India.
2. It was earlier known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.
3. In 1976, the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary was established.
4. In 2003, Anamalai Parambikulam Elephant Reserve was created. The tiger reserve forms part of the Anamalai Parambikulam Elephant Reserve.
5. In 2007, the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger.
6. Area: The Anamalai Tiger Reserve covers an area of approximately 958 square kilometers (369 square miles).
1. Core: 958.59 sq km
2. Buffer: 521.28 sq km
3. Total: 1479.87 sq km
7. Hills: The Anamalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Anaimalai Hills, also known as the Anamalai Hills or Elephant Hills. These hills are part of the Western Ghats mountain range.
8. River: Some of the major rivers that flow through the Anamalai Tiger Reserve are:
1. Bhavani River
2. Nallar River
3. Attakallar River
4. Thirumurthy River
5. Sholiyar River
6. Aliyar River
9. Tribe: Some of the tribes that reside within or near the Anamalai Tiger Reserve are:
1. Kadars
2. Malasars
3. Malaimalasar
4. Pulaiyars
5. Muduvars
6. Eravallan (Eravalar)
10. Flora: Evergreen Forests (teak, rosewood, ebony, and ironwood), Moist Deciduous Forests (Indian laurel, Indian kino tree, and Indian rosewood), Bamboo, Grasslands, Orchids etc.
11. Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Asiatic elephant, Sambar, Spotted deer, Gaur, Nilgiri tahr, Lion Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri langur, Sloth bear, Nilgiri marten, Malabar Woodshrike, Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Nilgiri forest lizard.
12. The Anamalai Tiger Reserve is known for its enchanting displays of fireflies. Fireflies are bioluminescent insects that emit light, creating a mesmerizing natural spectacle.

3. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

1. The Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is located in the Erode District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in southern India.
2. The reserve is situated at the confluence of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
3. The tiger reserve is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
4. In 2008, the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary was established.
5. In 2013, the sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a tiger reserve.
6. In 2022, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve bags the prestigious TX2 Awards after its tiger number doubled to 80 since 2010.
7. Area: The Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is spread across an area of approximately 1408.405 square kilometers (543.509 square miles).
1. Core area : 793.49331 sq km
2. Buffer area : 614.91210 sq km
3. Total : 1408.405 Sq.km
8. River: Bhavani River flows through the reserve. It originates in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu and flows eastward, passing through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve before eventually joining the Kaveri River.
9. Lake: One such notable lake near the tiger reserve is the Bhavanisagar Reservoir (Bhavani Dam).
10. Tribe: The tiger reserve is home to Irula and Soliga tribes.
11. The Sathyamangalam forests have had historical associations with Veerappan, a notorious criminal and bandit.
12. Flora: 
1. Dry Deciduous Forests (Teak, Terminalia, Sandalwood, Indian Rosewood, Indian kino tree, and Anogeissus latifolia), 
2. Thorny Scrub (Acacia nilotica, Acacia leucophloea, and Ziziphus species), 
3. Riverine Forests (Indian Elm, Indian Gooseberry, and Bamboo species), 
4. Grasslands etc.
13. Fauna: Tiger, Asian Elephant, Leopard, Gaur, Panther, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Spotted Deer, Dhole, Black Napped Hare, Indian Eagle-Owl, Indian Vulture, Mugger Crocodile.

4. Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

1. Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve is located in Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.
2. It consists of the Kanyakumari Wildlife sanctuary and the Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary.
3. It is a part of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.
4. In 1962, the Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary was established and declared as Nation’s first Tiger Sanctuary.
5. In 1976, the Kalakad Wildlife Sanctuary was established. It was primarily created to protect the endangered Lion-tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus).
6. In 1988, both the Kalakad Wildlife Sanctuary and Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary were merged to form the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.
7. It was declared as the “First Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu” and the 17th Tiger Reserve of the country.
8. Area: The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve spans a total area of 1601.542 square kilometers.
1. Core: 895.000 sq.km
2. Buffer: 706.542 sq.km
3. Total: 1601.542 sq.km
9. River: This tiger reserve also known as the “River Sanctuary. Among the notable rivers flowing through the reserve are:
1. Thambraparani
2. Ramanadi
3. Karayar
4. Servalar
5. Manimuthar
6. Pachayar
7. Kodaiyar
8. Gadananathi
9. Kallar
10. Flora: 
1. West Coast Tropical Evergreen Forests (rosewood, teak, ebony, and bamboo), 
2. Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests (teak, jackfruit, neem, and Indian laurel), 
3. Southern Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests (white cedar, Indian gooseberry, and flame of the forest), 
4. Ochlandra Reed Brakes, 
5. Tropical Riparian Fringing Forests (cluding ficus, Indian beech, and fig trees), 
6. Montane Wet Grassland etc.
11. Fauna: Tiger, Asian Elephant, Leopard, Lion Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Sloth Bear, Indian Gaur, Nilgiri Pipit, Indian Rock Python, Monitor Lizards etc.

5. Srivilleiputhura Meghmalai Tiger Reserve (51st Tiger Reserve in India)

1. Srivilleiputhura Meghmalai Tiger Reserve is located in Megamalai in Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India.
2. In 2021, the Srivilleiputhura Meghmalai Tiger Reserve was declared as a Tiger Reserve.
3. This tiger reserve was formed by combining the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjoining Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary.
4. It is the 51st tiger reserve in India and 5th Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu state.
5. Area: Srivilleiputhura Meghmalai Tiger Reserve has a total area of approximately 1016.57 square kilometers.
1. Core area: 641. 86 km2
2. Buffer area: 374.70 km2
3. Total area: 1016.57 km2
6. River: The Vaigai River passes through Srivilleiputhura Meghmalai Tiger Reserve.
7. Flora: Tropical Evergreen Forests, Semi-evergreen Forests, Dry Deciduous Forests, Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests, Grassland etc.
8. Fauna: Tiger, Asian Elephants, Indian Gaur, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Leopard, Sloth Bears, Nilgiri Tahrs, Great Indian Hornbill, Malabar Pit Viper, Monitor Lizard etc.