About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary:
- It is located in Wayanad, Kerala, in the southern trenches of the Western Ghats.
- It is also known as Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It forms an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- It is bordered by the protected areas of Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka on the northeastern side and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu on the southeastern side.
- Rivers like the Kabini, Cherupuzha, and Bavali flow through the sanctuary.
- Tribes living in these forests include some scheduled adivasis, such as Paniyas, Kattunaikkans, Kurumas, Ooralis, Adiyans, and Kurichiyas.
- Flora:
- It is a mosaic of the Western Ghats’ significant vegetation types, ranging from moist deciduous to dry deciduous and semi-evergreen patches.
- About one-third of the sanctuary is covered by plantations of teak, rosewood, eucalyptus, and silver oak.
- Fauna:
- It boasts one of the largest populations of Asian elephants and tigers, which are considered its flagship species.
- Other mammals include leopards, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer, wild boars, sloth bears, and jungle cats.
- Many species of birds, like peacock, owl, babbler, black woodpecker, golden backed three- toed wood pecker, cuckoo and jungle fowl, are found in the area.
