Kalakkadu Sanctuary

Kalakkadu Sanctuary is located in the picturesque and geographically rich surroundings of Western Ghats in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Two prominent sanctuaries of the region The Kalakkadu sanctuary together with the Mundanthurai sanctuary has been notified as a Tiger reserve. The immense geographical value of this place could be gauged from the fact that this reserve is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots.

Flora and Fauna in Kalakkadu Sanctuary

A wide range of animals can be easily spotted here like Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, wild dog, sloth bear, elephant, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque, brown mongoose, malabar giant squirrel, nilgiri martin, Indian pangolin, king cobra, python, monitor lizard, flying lizard, and many more. Kalakkadu Sanctuary and its adjoining areas on Western Ghats have a are very rich in plant varieties. The Tirunelveli forest alone has more than 2000 recorded plant species. The flora in the region ranges from forests of tropical wet evergreen to Tropical dry deciduous and thorn forest in the lower ranges.

Avian Population in Kalakkadu Sanctuary

Kalakkadu Wildlife Sanctuary harbors a large population of birds, including several rare species. These include egrets, herons, jungle fowl, spur fowl, partridge, emerald dove, minivets, bee caters, quails, sparrows, owls, night jars, kites, paradise flay catchers, and several other varieties.

When to Visit Kalakkadu Sanctuary

Best time to visit this beautiful wildlife sanctuary is from September to March, when weather is pleasant and conducive for an adventurous wildlife trip.

How to Reach Kalakkadu Sanctuary

By Rail - Nearest Railway Station is Cheranmadevi at a distance of 20 km from here. Ambasamudram railway station is at a distance of 15 km from Tirunelveli.

By Air - Madurai Airport is located at a distance of 200 km, while Thiruvananthapuram's international airport is at a distance of 140 km.

By Road - Tirunelveli is well connected to Ambasamudaram and Kalakad and frequent buses are plying on this route.