Jungle Retreat A Wilderness Retreat in Mudumalai, the Nilgiris

The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an International Biosphere Reserve located in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills ranges of southern India. The reserve encompasses 5,520 km² in the states of Karnataka (1527.4 km²), Kerala (1455.4 km²), and Tamil Nadu (2537.6 km²). The Mudumalai WS & NP, Wayanad WS, Bandipur NP, Nagarhole NP, Nugu WS, Mukurthi NP and Silent Valley NP are protected areas within this reserve, which also includes zones open to forestry and tourism.

The reserve extends from the tropical moist forests of the windward western slopes of the Ghats to the tropical dry forests on the leeward eastern slopes. Rainfall ranges from 500 mm to 7000 mm per year. The reserve encompasses three ecoregions, the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests, South Western Ghats montane rain forests, and South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests. The habitat types include montane rain forest, semi-evergreen moist forest, thorn forest and scrub, montane grassland, and high-elevation Shola forests.

The Mudumalai sanctuary lies on the northern and north-western side of the Nilgiris or Blue Mountains, about 80 km north-west of Coimbatore in the extreme north-western corner of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala states in South India. The park was created in 1940 to become the first sanctuary in southern India. Originally 60 square kilometres, the sanctuary was enlarged to 295 km² in 1956 and subsequently to its present size of 321 km². The sanctuary is contiguous with Bandipur National Park (874 km²), Wynad Sanctuary (344 km²), Sigur and Singara reserve forests. The park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (6,000+ km²), including all of Mudumalai National Park, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

There are three main types of forest: tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous and southern tropical thorn. In certain places mixed vegetation types are present. Tropical moist deciduous forest occurs in the western Benne Block, where rainfall is higher than in the other blocks.

Primates found include the Gray Langur and the Bonnet Macaque. The Tiger, Leopard and Sloth Bear are frequently sighted. Other carnivores include the Dhole or Wild Dog, the Striped Hyena, the Golden Jackal. The Asian Elephant population totals several hundred animals. Ungulates include the Gaur, the Sambar Deer, the Chital, Indian Muntjac, the Indian Spotted Chevrotain and the Wild Boar. Rodents include the Indian Giant Squirrel and the Red Giant Flying Squirrel.

Bird life is rich. Regional endemics include Malabar trogon and Malabar grey hornbill. Predatory birds include the crested hawk-eagle and the crested serpent eagle. It also holds an isolated southern population of the Striped Tit-babbler. Of the reptiles, the monitor lizard Varanus bengalensis is the most regularly observed species.