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Kanyakumari
Wildlife
Sanctuary
is
a
402.4
km2
(155.4
sq
mi)
protected
area
in
Kanyakumari
district,
Tamil
Nadu
South
India
declared
in
February
2008.
The
area
is
a
tiger
habitat.
The
virgin
forests
of
Kanyakumari
District
got
transferred
from
Kerala
to
Tamil
Nadu
on
the
1st
November
1956
as
a
result
of
the
state
reorganization.
Kanyakumari
Forest
Division
came
into
existence
from
1st
April
1977,
with
the
headquarters
at
Nagercoil.
Government
Reserved
Forests
occupy
an
area
of
50486
ha,
i.e.,
30.2%
of
the
total
geographic
area
of
the
Kanyakumari
District.
Kanyakumari
Wildlife
sanctuary
with
adjacent
areas
of
Kalakkad
Mundanthurai
Tiger
Reserve
and
Neyyar
Wildlife
Sanctuary
of
Kerala
State
constitutes
the
southernmost
tip
of
Western
Ghats.
The
natural
vegetation
of
this
region
represents
biomes
ranging
from
southern
thorn
forests,
dry
deciduous,
moist
deciduous,
semi
evergreen
forests
to
ever
green
hill
sholas
with
grassy
downs.
The
tract
is
exceedingly
rich
in
wildlife
harbouring
a
variety
of
animals.
The
avifauna,
the
reptilian
and
amphibian
fauna
of
this
region
are
also
rich
and
diverse.
The
Kanyakumari
Wildlife
Sanctuary
is
located
in
Kanyakumari,
commonly
known
to
the
rest
of
the
country
as
the
southernmost
tip
of
India.
This
tip
of
the
Indian
peninsula
is
a
unique
geographic
point
as
it
is
one
of
a
handful
of
places,
if
not
the
only,
to
be
surrounded
by
all
three
of
the
sub-continent's
vast
oceans
โ
the
Bay
of
Bengal,
Indian
Ocean
and
the
Arabian
Sea.
This,
in
combination
with
the
fact
that
the
sanctuary
touches
the
southern
tip
of
the
Western
Ghats
is
cause
for
-
albeit
understandably
โ
the
distinct
and
highly
rare
quality
and
combination
of
its
biosphere.
Being
surrounded
by
three
major
oceans
has
a
direct
and
obvious
effect
on
its
monsoon.
The
sanctuary
receives
extremely
heavy
rainfall
of
1369
mm
each
year
which
is
both
unevenly
and
oddly
distributed.
Tropical
wet
evergreen
forests
and
southern
thorn
scrub
forests
are
the
extremes
that
form
the
spectrum
of
vegetation
in
this
sanctuary.
The
variation
in
forest
type
is
mainly
due
to
the
pattern
of
the
monsoon.
At
the
Kanyakumari
Wildlife
Sanctuary
is
a
whopping
427
species
of
Indian
plants,
of
which
123
are
found
in
the
state
and
62
are
endemic
to
Tamil
Nadu.
In
Upper
Kodaiyar
and
other
craggy
regions
of
the
Tirunelveli
District,
where
the
sanctuary
lies,
you
will
find
a
particularly
interesting
plant
called
Hill
arecanut.
It
is
an
endemic
palm
occurring
in
these
locales.
In
this
category
are
also
two
other
palms
found
in
abundance
-
the
Arenga
wightii
and
Poanaca
docksonii.
They
yield
a
deadly
brew
that
is
locally
known
as
toddy.
Toddy
is
simply
an
alcohol
made
out
of
the
tender
water
of
these
palms
by
fermentation;
the
toddy
from
these
palms
are
glorified,
relished
and
sought
after
by
the
tribals
in
the
area.
In
fact,
an
interesting
fact
of
the
forests
in
Kanyakumari
is
that
they
are
said
to
be
more
than
70
million
old.
Now
thatโs
called
an
age
old
area,
which
has
been
developed.
The
Kanyakumari
Wildlife
Sanctuary
is
a
crucial
wildlife
corridor
with
exceptionally
high
biodiversity.
Inevitably,
it
is
home
to
several
species
that
are
endangered,
such
as
the
Indian
rock
python,
lion-tailed
macaque,
mouse
deer,
Nilgiri
Tahr,
Sambar
deer,
Indian
bison
and
elephant.
Sadly,
construction
of
hydel
projects,
encroachment,
conversion
of
forest
to
farmland,
poaching
and
poisoning
have
cause
many
species
like
tigers,
panthers,
black
buck
and
deer
to
dwindle.
Nonetheless,
animal
species
that
continue
to
be
commonly
spotted
at
the
Kanyakumari
Wildlife
Sanctuary
are
bonnet
macaque,
jackal,
Indian
fox,
leopard,
small
Indian
civet,
Indian
chevrotain,
otter,
sloth
bear,
large
brown
flying
squirrel,
pangolin
and
flying
fox
among
many
others.
The
Kanyakumari
Sanctuary
is
simply
fantastic
for
wildlife
viewing
and
nature
walks;
it
is
also
a
unique
experience
to
see
the
meeting
point
of
the
three
main
oceans.
This
is
considered
as
one
of
nature's
most
wonderful
phenomena,
the
blending
of
their
waters
and
sand;
a
must
do
for
all
who
visit
the
south
of
India
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