National Parks in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is home to 5 national parks.

Table of Contents

Guindy National Park

Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; extension of grounds around Raj Bhavan (formerly Guindy Lodge).
Boundaries: Adyar River (north), Guindy Lake (south).
Reserved Forest: Declared in 1910 under Madras Forest Act.
National Park: Established in 1978.
Area: ~2.7 sq.km (1.04 sq miles).
River: Adyar River, major tributary of Kaveri River.
Lake: Guindy Lake (man-made).
Flora: Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest, Tropical Dry Evergreen Scrub.
Fauna: Blackbuck, Toddy Cat, Civet Cat, Pangolin, Black-naped Hare, Star Tortoise.
Notable Feature: Known for its population of blackbucks.

Location: Gulf of Mannar, off the coast of Tamil Nadu, India; Coromandel Coast covering Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Rameswaram, and Kanyakumari; Includes a cluster of islands, coral reefs, and coastal areas.
Endangered Species: Home to Dugongs (sea cow).
National Park: Declared in 1986.
Marine Biosphere Reserve: Declared in 1989 by Government of India; forms core area of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: Designated in 2001.
Ramsar Site: Listed in 2022.
Area: ~560 sq.km (216 sq miles).
Rivers: Vaigai, Pambar, Chittar, Vaippar, Manimuthar, Thamirabarani.
Plants: Mangroves, Coral Reefs, Seagrasses, Seaweeds.
Animals: Dugong, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, spinner dolphin, humpback dolphin, Olive Ridley, Green, Hawksbill, Loggerhead.

Location: Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India; tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu; part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; borders Wyanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) on the West and Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) on the North.
Historical Use: Area of Mudumalai forest declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940 by the Madras Presidency.
Biosphere Reserve: Incorporated into Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986 (first Biosphere Reserve in India).
National Park: Upgraded from Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary to national park in 1990.
Tiger Reserve: Designated under Project Tiger in 2007.
Area: 321 sq. km (124 sq. miles).
Hills: Nilgiri Hills, Western Ghats range.
River: Moyar River.
Tribe: Todas; Kurumbas; Irulas.
Plants: Teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian laurel; terminalia, axlewood, Indian kino tree, Bamboo Groves.
Animals: Tiger, Asian Elephant, Indian Gaur, Spotted Deer, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Nilgiri Marten, Sloth Bear, Indian Star Tortoise.

Location: Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu, India; part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; South India.
Name Origin: Named after its highest peak, Mukurthi Peak (2,554 meters (8,379 feet).
Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1982 to protect Nilgiri Tahr.
National Park: Upgraded to national park in 1990.
Area: 78.46 sq.km (30.29 sq miles).
Hills: Nilgiri Hills, part of Western Ghats.
River: Pykara River.
Tribe: Toda tribe.
Plants: Shola Forests, Rhododendrons, Orchids.
Animals: Nilgiri Tahr, Indian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Nilgiri Marten, Nilgiri Langur, Sambar Deer, Black-naped Hare, Soft-furred Rat.

Location: Pollachi and Valparai taluks of Coimbatore District and Udumalaipettai taluk in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, India; southern part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; Anamalai Hills.
Alternate Name: Also known as Annamalai National Park.
Wildlife Sanctuary: Established as Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in 1976;
National Park: Renamed Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in 1987.
Tiger Reserve: Designated under Project Tiger in 2007.
Area: ~958 sq.km (370 sq miles).
Hills: Anaimalai Hills, part of the Western Ghats; highest peak is Anamudi (2,695 meters / 8,842 feet), the highest in South India.
River: Aliyar River, Chinnar River, Thirumoorthy River, Amaravathi River.
Lake: Amaravathi Reservoir, Aliyar Reservoir, Upper Aliyar Reservoir, Thirumoorthy Reservoir.
Tribe: Kadar, Malasar, Pulaiyar, Mudugar, Eravalar.
Flora: Rosewood, teak, terminalia, Indian laurel, banyan, Orchids.
Animals: Tigers, Elephants, Panthers, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiris Langur, Sloth Bear, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Nilgiris Tahr.