Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Nature reserve in Radhapuram, India
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve is a protected nature area in Tamil Nadu covering different elevations from low valleys to mountain heights. The landscape consists mainly of dense tropical wet evergreen forest that spreads across rolling hills and deeper valleys.
The reserve was created in 1988 when two separate wildlife sanctuaries were joined together into one larger protected area. This merger allowed for better protection and management of the forest and its wildlife populations.
Local communities in nearby villages depend on traditional practices that have shaped how they relate to the forest around them. You can see this connection in how people gather forest resources while respecting the land's limits.
Visitors must arrange permits in advance before going on guided walks through the area. Simple accommodations are scattered in different sections of the reserve where you can stay overnight.
The reserve feeds 14 different rivers and streams that provide water for farming and daily use in surrounding regions far beyond the forest itself. This role as a water source makes the forest essential to people living many kilometers away.
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