Annamalai Tiger Reserve

Annamalai Tiger Reserve is a protected area located in the Annamalai mountain range of the Western Ghats in Tamilnadu. It is one of the popular tiger reserves in India and among the must visit places in Pollachi.

Annamalai Tiger Reserve was originally called Anamalai Wild Life Sanctuary notified in the year 1974 and established in the year 1976. Later, it was renamed as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park in honor of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's visit in 1961. Located at an altitude of 1400 m, the sanctuary has declared as Annamalai Tiger Reserve in 2007 with an extent of 958.59 sq. km that encompassed the erstwhile IGWLS&NP or Aanaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary.

According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Reserve presently includes a core area of 958.59 sq. km and a buffer area of 521.28 sq.km forming a total area of 1479.87 sq. km. The reserve is bordered with Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park, and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve covers a total of four revenue taluks include the headquarters in Pollachi, the Valparai, Udumalpet, and Kodaikanal.

The Anamalai wildlife sanctuary has various kinds of wild animals like panthers, elephants, deer, gaur, civets, tigers, sloth bears, wild bears, wild dogs, porcupines, flying squirrels, jackals, and pangolins. The park is home to birds like the red treepie, whiskered bulbul, spotted dove, rocket-tailed drongo, black-headed oriole, and pigeon.

This wildlife park also has a natural reservoir, called the Amaravati Reservoir, which is inhabited by crocodiles. Besides, this serene getaway has other elements such as Karianshola Trek, Anaikunthi Shola, Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley, groves, waterfalls, teak forests, reservoirs, and dams. However, some of these attractions would require prior permission from the respective authorities.