Context:Kozhikamuthi, a Malasar tribal settlement in the core area of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, is known for the occupation — capturing, taming and handling wild elephants for the Forest Department.
This is the second elephant camp of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, after the one at Theppakkadu in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
Anamalai Tiger Reserve
It is one of the four Tiger Reserves in Tamil Nadu. It forms part of the Southern Western Ghats.
It forms part of the Anamalai Parambikulam Elephant Reserve declared in 2003.
It is surrounded by Parambikulam Tiger Reserve on the East, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Eravikulam National Park on the South Western side (all belong to Kerala).
The reserve is also surrounded by Nenmara, Vazhachal, Malayattur and Marayur reserved forests of Kerala.
The ranges found in this reserve include Amaravathi, Udumalpet, Pollachi, Ulandy, Valparai and Manamboli.
Anthropological Diversity:
The area has significant anthropological diversity with more than 4600 Adivasi people from six tribes of indigenous people living in 34 settlements.
The tribes are the Kadars, Malasars, Malaimalasar, Pulaiyars, Muduvars and the Eravallan (Eravalar).
Flora:
It includes wet evergreen forest and semi-evergreen forest, montane shola-grassland, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, thorn forests and marshes.
Fauna:
The important mammals include: Asiatic elephant, Sambar, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Gaur, Nilgiri tahr, Tiger, etc.
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
It is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve along with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) in the West, Bandipur National Park (Karnataka) in the North, Mukurthi National Park and Silent Valley in the South.
The name Mudumalai means the ancient hill range.
Flora:
The Reserve has tall grasses, commonly referred to as ‘Elephant Grass’.
Bamboo of the giant variety, valuable timber species like Teak, Rosewood, etc.
There are several species of endemic flora.
Fauna:
Flagship Species: Tiger and Asian Elephant.
Other species: Indian Gaur, Spotted Deer, Common Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat among others.
Birds:
Reserve has got a wide variety of more than 260 species of birds.
8% of bird species found in India are recorded in Mudumalai.
This includes rare birds like Malabar grey hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar laughing thrush among others.
