Wildlife of
Tamil Nādu

Evergreen to semi-evergreen rainforest patches and shola-forest components in the wettest Western Ghats sectors (Agasthyamalai/Anamalai ranges), typically in steep, high-rainfall catchments and well-protected reserves.

Small, fragmented; mostly confined to the Western Ghats belt in the far west/southwest (generally a few percent of the state).

Dry deciduous forests and dry evergreen patches cover interior hills, foothills, and parts of eastern lowlands around the wetter Ghats. They include teak and bamboo deciduous tracts and Coromandel dry evergreen formations.

Widespread across interior districts, Eastern Ghats fragments, and some coastal plain woodlands; a major share of remaining natural vegetation.

Open thorn-scrub and grass-shrub mosaics in rain-shadow zones (leeward of the Western Ghats) and degraded/managed landscapes where frequent fire, grazing, and drought favor grassy openings with scattered trees.

Patchy but extensive in drier interiors and foothills, intergrading with dry deciduous forest and agricultural land.

River networks and reservoirs supporting riparian corridors, irrigation-fed wetlands, and major bird habitats-especially in the Cauvery system and southern rivers (Tamiraparani, Vaigai).

Statewide along river basins, tanks, and reservoirs; concentrated in deltaic and irrigated plains.

Coastal lagoons, marshes, floodplain tanks, and mangrove-associated wetlands that host large congregations of resident and migratory waterbirds (e.g., Vedanthangal region, Point Calimere complex, Pallikaranai).

Scattered but locally extensive in the Cauvery delta and coastal lowlands; numerous small 'tank' wetlands inland.

Bay of Bengal/Indian Ocean coastal waters including productive nearshore fisheries, seagrass beds, and coral-associated systems in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay.

Along the full coastline (~1,000+ km) and adjacent shelf waters; highest reef/seagrass expression in the southeast (Ramanathapuram-Thoothukudi).

Protected forest landscapes in the Western Ghats (e.g., Anamalai/Indira Gandhi, Mudumalai, Kalakad-Mundanthurai) and fragmented Eastern Ghats hill forests supporting elephant and tiger corridors.

Evergreen/semi-evergreen tracts and shola forest patches in high-rainfall Ghats catchments (Agasthyamalai and parts of Anamalai), with high endemism.

Dry to moist deciduous forests (notably in Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam landscapes and Ghats foothills), often forming key large-mammal habitat and movement corridors.

Open dry woodlands and dry evergreen woodland remnants on the Coromandel plain, including sacred groves and reserve patches amid agriculture.

Montane grasslands/shola-grassland mosaics in the Nilgiris and high Ghats plateaus, plus lowland grassy openings in rain-shadow interiors.

Thorn scrub and scrubby fallows in semi-arid interiors and coastal hinterlands, important for drought-adapted fauna and as buffer habitat around reserves.

Western Ghats massifs (Nilgiris, Anamalai, Palani, Agasthyamalai) and Eastern Ghats outcrops (e.g., Javadi/Kolli/Pachamalai hills) creating steep climate and habitat gradients.

Rock escarpments and steep valley walls in the Ghats and Eastern Ghats hill complexes, providing raptor nesting sites and refugia for cliff-adapted flora.

Rock shelters and cave systems in hill/karst and rocky terrains of the Eastern Ghats and southern hill ranges, used by bats and other cave fauna (distribution localized).

Major rivers and riparian corridors: Cauvery and its delta distributaries, Palar, Vaigai, and Tamiraparani-supporting irrigation wetlands and floodplain biodiversity.

Large lagoonal lakes and brackish systems such as Pulicat Lake (shared with Andhra Pradesh) and other coastal backwaters supporting waterbirds and fisheries.

Dense network of traditional irrigation tanks/ponds across the plains (especially in the Cauvery basin), many functioning as seasonal wetlands.

Inland marshes and floodplain wetlands including Pallikaranai marsh (Chennai) and bird-focused wetlands around Vedanthangal and Koonthankulam (nearby regional complex).

Fresh to brackish marshes in coastal lowlands and urban/peri-urban settings (notably around Chennai), critical for migratory birds and flood buffering.

Mangrove forests such as Pichavaram and Muthupet (Cauvery delta region), forming nursery habitat for fish/crustaceans and protecting shorelines.

Estuaries and river mouths along the Coromandel and Gulf of Mannar coasts (e.g., Cauvery delta outlets, Vellar/Coleroon systems), mixing freshwater and marine productivity.

Long sandy coastal plains and dune-backwater systems along the Bay of Bengal, plus the more biodiverse reef-seagrass coast of the southeast.

Extensive sandy beaches along the Coromandel coast and around Kanyakumari, with nesting/foraging areas for coastal fauna (pressure from development varies).

Rocky headlands and shore platforms (notably near Kanyakumari and select stretches of the southeast), supporting intertidal communities.

Fringing and patch reef systems and coral-associated habitats in the Gulf of Mannar and parts of Palk Bay, closely linked with seagrass beds and island chains.

Pelagic waters off the continental shelf supporting tuna-like fisheries and migratory megafauna movements.

Deeper offshore waters beyond the shelf in the Bay of Bengal/Indian Ocean margin, with limited direct observation but ecologically important for regional oceanography.

Continental shelf seabeds including sandy/muddy bottoms and seagrass-associated substrates, especially in the Gulf of Mannar-Palk Bay region.

Major metros and cities (Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem) with fragmented wetlands/green spaces and strong land-use pressure.

Rapidly expanding peri-urban belts around Chennai and western cities, often overlapping with remnant wetlands, scrub, and agricultural mosaics.

Intensively cultivated plains-rice-dominant Cauvery delta, sugarcane/banana belts, cotton/groundnut in drier zones-interspersed with tanks and field margins used by birds.

Tea and eucalyptus/wattle mosaics in the Nilgiris and tea/coffee estates in parts of the Western Ghats, creating managed habitat adjacent to native forest blocks.