The Western Ghats, also known as Sahyadri, is a mountain range that covers an area of 160,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi) in a stretch of 1,600 km (990 mi) parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, traversing the states of Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra,Gujarat, Kerala,and Tamil Nadu It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the world. It is sometimes called the Great Escarpment of India. It contains a very large proportion of the country's flora and fauna, many of which are only found in India and nowhere else in the world. According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer. The range runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain, called Konkan, along the Arabian Sea. A total of thirty-nine areas in the Western Ghats, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests, were designated as world heritage sites in 2012 – twenty in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, six in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra.
Kotagiri or Kothagiri is a taluk and a Panchayat town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the third largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills.
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an ecoregion of southern India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats range in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, at elevations over 1000 meters. They are cooler and wetter than the lower-elevation South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests, which surround the montane rain forests.
Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Mountains at 2,637 metres (8,652 feet). There is a reserved forest area around the peak. It is 9 km from Ooty, on the Ooty-Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, India. It is a popular tourist attraction with road access to the summit. It is the fourth highest peak in South India next to Anamudi, Mannamalai and Meesapulimala. The peaks Hecuba, Kattadadu and Kulkudi are the three closely linked summits in the west of the Doddabetta range near to Udagamandalam.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an International Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills ranges of South India. The Nilgiri Sub-Cluster is a part of the Western Ghats, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012. It is the largest protected forest area in India, spreading across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. It includes the Aralam, Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Silent Valley national parks, as well as the Wayanad, Karimpuzha, and Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuaries.
Mukurthi National Park (MNP) is a 78.46 km2 (30.3 sq mi) protected area located in the western corner of the Nilgiris Plateau west of Ootacamund hill station in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu state in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India. The park was created to protect its keystone species, the Nilgiri tahr.
The Nilgiri Mountains form part of the Western Ghats in western Tamil Nadu, India. At least 24 of the Nilgiri Mountains' peaks are above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), the highest peak being Doddabetta, at 2,637 metres (8,652 ft).
Vellarimala Hills is a mountain range in Kerala, India, spread across Thiruvambady Panchayat in Kozhikode district and Meppadi Panchayat in Wayanad district.
Sispara, സിസ്പാര, a proper noun, is a combination of the Badaga language words si:su + pore; meaning: magnetite bearing rock + gorge. It may refer to:
Anginda peak is a mountain in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, South India and Palakkad district, and Nilambur taluk in Malappuram district of Kerala. It has an elevation of 2,383 metres (7,818 ft) and is the highest peak in Silent Valley National Park. It is just south of Sispara pass, and forms the southernmost boundary of Mukurthi National Park in Tamil Nadu. There is an unobstructed view of Anginda from the 30 m observation tower at Sairandhri Visitors Center. The Kunthipuzha River, which is a tributary of Bharathappuzha originates from the Anginda peak.
Karimpuzha is the largest tributary of Chaliyar river, Kerala, India. It is very near to Nilambur.
Mukurthi Peak is one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats, situated on the border of Udagamandalam taluk, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, Nilambur taluk, Malappuram, and Kerala in India. It reaches an altitude of 2,554 m (8,379ft), and is the fifth-highest peak in South India.
Catherine Falls is a double-cascaded waterfall located in Kotagiri, The Nilgiris District, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major tourist spot, located on the Mettupalayam road branching off at Aravenu. The upper fall drops to the floor, and is the second-highest in the Nilgiri Mountains. The waters from the upper stream of the Kallar River are crossed by the invisible Mettupalayam-Ooty road beyond the mountains in the southwest. The combined height of both falls is about 76 metres (250 ft).
Pykara is river 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Ooty in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu with a village by the same name nearby. The Pykara River is considered very sacred by the Todas. It rises at Mukurthi peak, flows northwards, and then turns to the west after reaching the edge of the plateau. The river flows through Murkurti, Pykara and Glenmorgan dams, and forms part of an important hydro-electric power project.
Nilgiri Wildlife and Environmental Association (NWEA) is a non-governmental organization registered in Tamil Nadu, India. Their objective is to conserve the wildlife, habitat and natural resources of the Nilgiri Hills.
Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint is a tourist spot in Coonoor, The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu. Dolphin's Nose is well over 1,550 Meter above sea level, 10 km from Coonoor and is a spectacular spot to visit. The tip of the peak resembles a dolphin's nose, hence the name Dolphin's Nose. It is an enormous rock formation that is entirely unique. There are gigantic ravines found both to the left and right of Dolphin's Nose and there is a view of inspiring Catherine Falls with its continuing stream several thousand metres below which is located a relatively short distance away opposite of the Dolphin's Nose. Best part of spot are the hairpin turns and tea plantations on the way
Rangaswamy Peak and Pillar is a rocky column in Kotagiri, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. It is located at a distance of 20 km from Kotagiri.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tamil Nadu:
Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary is a Wildlife sanctuary near Nilambur, Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is declared as a wildlife sanctuary on July 3, 2020. It covers an area of 227.97 sq km and comprises the New Amarambalam Reserved Forest and Vadakkekotta vested forest, except the Manjeri colony of the Cholanaikar tribe. It forms a portion of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
