Vegetation in Mundanthurai Sanctuary
Mundanthurai Sanctuary is located in the southern Western Ghats, amidst geographically diverse and biodiversity rich surroundings.
The Western Ghats, are well known for their rich and unique assemblage of flora and fauna. In the southern western ghats, the hill chain is divided into two by the Palghat Gap, a mere 13 km narrow gap, creating two distinct biogeographic units i.e., the Nilgiris complex in the north and the Anaimalai-Palnis complex in the south. Some of the highest peaks, like Anaimudi (Anaimalai Hills) and Doddabetta (Nilgiri Hills), are located in this region. Agasthyamalai (1681 m.), which falls within the core zone of the Kalakkadu-Mundanthurai Reserve, is considered as an important center of plant diversity and endemism in India.
Rainfall varies in the region from peaks of 9000 mm and above per year to as low as 1000 mm are frequent in the east. In the southern Western Ghats, where Mundanthurai Sanctuary is located, rainfall varies from less than1000 mm in lower reaches to nearly 4000 mm in the hills. Forest types in Mundanthurai Sanctuary vary from dry deciduous to tropical wet evergreen forests.
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