Animals

Mammals

The Coimbatore Forest Division is a rich and varied habitat, and the common South Indian Fauna is well represented.  The forests of this division in certain places, like Kallar in this division, serves an important migratory corridors, for the animal population in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve as a whole especially for elephants.  The Kallar, Jaccanare are one among the main elephant corridors in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve.

Animals of Coimbatore Division.

Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
In deciduous forests, wild elephants are seen to wander in small herds, in Walayar and Bolampatty Valleys, Anaikatty R.F., Gopinari R.F., Hulical, Jaccanare slopes and Nilgiris Eastern Slope R.Fs.  The Sholakkarai, Singapathy and Iruttupallam blocks are their favourite retreats during rainy season.  Bamboos are their favourite food and occasionally they raid the agriculture fields in the adjoining lands. 
Elephant Paths in this division are Mannarkad (Kerala State) – Kodunagaraipallam – Anaikatty – Pillur – Nellithorai – Hulical – Kallar – Odanthorai – Bhavanisagar, Mudumalai – Moyar – Bhavanisagar – Odanthorai – Kunjapanai and  Walayar – Mangalapalayam – Sigarapathy – Thanikandy.

Panther (Panthera pardus)
Panthers are sighted in Jaccanare slope R.F and Bolampatty reserves. 

Gaur (Bos gaurus)
Occasionally sighted in Jaccanare slope R.F

Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)
Occasionally seen most of the areas

Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor)
Sambar deer is found in the higher slopes of Bolampatty Block I and II reserves.

Spotted Deer (Axis axis)
seen frequently in the lower slopes of Jaccanare, Odanthorai R.Fs and Sholakkarai areas.

Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

Mouse Deer (Tragulus meminna)

Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)

Nilgiri Tahr or Ibex (Hemitragus hylocrius)-
This occurs in seclusion in the precipitous grassy slopes above 1200 meters.  Occasionally seen in the grass lands around Kunjiramudy and Perumalmudy.

Bonnet Mecaque (Mecaca radiata)

Common Langur (Presbytis entellus)

Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica)

Black-naped Hare (Lepus nigricollis)

Malabar Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica)

Wild dog or Dhole (Cuon alpinus)

Amphibian Fauna

Coimbatore is a land which enjoys wide variety of landscape, forest types, altitude and climate.  The Amphibian fauna of Coimbatore forest is rich and varied.  This division has the Amphibian fauna includes frogs, toads and caecilian.  These animals are having wide ranges of distribution and habitats.  They are seen on land, in water, on trees, understones and underground.  There are several new species of Amphibia are reported from the Western Ghats.  The Coimbatore forest division provides a good shelter for the Amphibian fauna also.  Amphibian are playing vital role in the ecosystem.  They are also useful to eradicate the insect pests which are menace to the paddy and other crops.  

Reptiles

Reptiles are the characteristic and interesting animals.  It includes, the beautiful and magnificent King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Common Cobra (Naja naja) and other colourful snakes, beautiful garden and green lizards, colourful Geckos, Agamas, Chameleon, Skinks, etc.  The snakes, lizards and other reptiles are having the dietary includes rats, mice, destructive insects or insect pest of agriculture. The Coimbatore forest Division has diverse climatic and vegetation types which is ideal habitats for the reptiles.  There are various reptiles found in this division.  The King Cobra often associated with moist areas in the hilly tracts of the forest.  In Coimbatore forest division, the Bolampatti forest range has moist deciduous forest which is the home for the King Cobra.