Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (18390)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.6386, Longitude: 77.3602
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Area of KBA (km2): 817.84521
Protected area coverage (%): 97.92
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), created in 1988- 89, is situated in the southern end of the Western Ghats in the Ashambu Hills of Agasthyamalai region of Tamil Nadu. The present boundaries of the Reserve are surrounded on all sides by villages. Agasthyamalai (1,681 m), which falls within the core zone of the Tiger Reserve, is the third highest peak in south India. A section of the hills in the core of the Reserve is considered one of the five major centres of plant diversity and endemism in India. The site receives rain for 8 months in a year. The forests of the Reserve form the catchment area of 14 rivers and streams, which form the irrigation network and provide drinking water for the people of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and part of Kanyakumari district. Seven major dams - Karayar, Lower Dam, Servalar, Manimuthar, Ramanadi, Kadnanadi and Kodaiyar exist on these rivers. Kalakad Mundanthurai comprises of 66,500 ha reserved forest. Because of the occurrence of numerous streams and rivers, the Reserve is called a ‘River Sanctuary’ (Johnsingh, A. J. T. (2001) The Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: A global heritage of biological diversity. Current Science 80 (3): 378- 388). The Reserve is the southernmost home to some of the charismatic and endangered mammals such as the Nilgir Tahr Hermitragus hylocrius and the Tiger Panthera tigris. The KMTR, sprawling across diverse terrain, is ecologically rich. It has vegetation types ranging from Thorn Scrub to Montane (Wet) Evergreen Forests, all within an altitudinal range from sea level to 1,866 m above sea level (Johnsingh, A. J. T. (2001) The Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: A global heritage of biological diversity. Current Science 80 (3): 378- 388). The main threates include livestock grazing, disturbance to birds (poaching), and firewood collection. Grazing remains a problem in parts of Kadayam, Papanasam and Mundanthurai. Cattle enter the Tiger Reserve through Lower Dam and Manimuthar Dam areas. The Reserve has an area of about 56 km on the western side adjoining Kerala, from where the entry is relatively easy due to the existence of private estates nearby. Many times, people from across the state border enter the Reserve to carry out illegal activities. Since the area is extremely remote from the Tamil Nadu side, frequent patrolling becomes difficult. There are about 50,000 cattle in the fringe villages within a 5 km zone from the eastern boundary of the Reserve. Some cattle are owned by the residents of the State Electricity Board colonies and the Tea Estate workers within the Reserve.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The amphibian Nyctibatrachus vasanthi meets KBA Criterion B1 and six birds meet KBA Criterion B2. An additional 11 birds, 15 amphibians, 21 mammals, 22 plants, and 21 reptiles meet legacy KBA criteria and are in need of reassessment against the Global Standard.
Manageability of the site: This site was originally identified as an IBA/KBA in 2004. Nearly the entire KBA is covered by the Western Ghats World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (WDPAID: 555547990).
Delineation rationale: This site was originally identified as an IBA/KBA in 2004: Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve- SitrecID: 18390.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 33 | |
| Grassland | 33 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 33 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |