Elephant Corridors of Coimbatore Forest Division
Jaccanari - Vedar Colony Corridor
The Jaccanari-Vedar Colony corridor lies (76056"20'-7600"4' N and 11023"23'-11019"24' E) in the Coimbatore Forest Division and is surrounded on the north by steep escarpment of the Jaccanari Mountain and on the east by crop fields.
This corridor has contiguity up to the Pillur reserve forests and Attapadi Valley of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The corridor is very narrow between the Forest College and Vedar Colony with severe anthropogenic activities causing rapid degradation.
The terrain is gently undulating except at Sirumugai Mudakku, Periya Kandi Mokkai and other hills in low lying areas. The length of the corridor is about 12 km and width ranges from 0.2 to 1.5 km. Dry deciduous forests in hill slopes and open thorn forest in lowland areas dominate in this corridor. Unsuccessful teak and successful Acacia spp. plantations mostly dominated the vegetation association of the corridor.
Ghandhapallam and Kunukkumadu are the perennial water sources attract the elephants during dry season. Tamarindus indica is the predominant fruit species available for the elephants.
Kallar - Jaccanari Corridor
The Kallar-Jaccanari corridor lies (76052"5'-76056"5' N and 11021"23'-11019"15' E) in the Coimbatore Forest Division and is surrounded on the north by steep escarpment of the Jaccanari Mountains and on the east by crop fields and developmental activities.
A long strip of corridor beginning at Kothagiri road goes up to Kallar reserve forests along the foot hills of Jaccanari Mountain bisecting the Mettupalayam-Coonoor highway. The corridor between second hairpin bend of the Mettupalayam-Coonoor highway and Kallar is narrow with various development activities.
The terrain is undulating. The length of the corridor is 7 km and width ranges from 0.2 to 1.5 km. The elephants' strong fidelity to this corridor during their seasonal migration shows importance for its conservation.
Currently elephants are moving through the corridor to cross Ooty main highway following undulating contours of the corridors of the Jaccanari hills on the north. Occasionally there were few evidences the elephant herds crossed the highway just below the first hairpin bend as mentioned by Davidar (1972). Dry deciduous forests in hill slopes and mixed secondary growth woody forest in lowland areas dominate this corridor.
Kallar - Nellithurai Corridor
The Kallar-Nellithurai corridor lies between 76042"6'-76052"12' N and 11019"10'-11015"28' E in the Coimbatore Forest Division and is bounded on the north by a series of hills namely, Kovalkombai (1055m), Chengalkombai (1200m) and Melur slope reserve forests and east by settlements (Nandavana Pudur, Nellithurai, Sattaiyur and Kil Chengal).
The Kallar-Nellithurai corridor is the only transit route for elephants to move between Pillur RF and Attapady Valley from Eastern Ghats. Anogeissus latifolia, Terminalia spp, Pterocarpus marsupium, Sapindus emarginatus and Tectona grandis are more confined to hill slopes. The lowland forests are dominated by thorny species such as Toddalia asiatica, Limonia alata, Atalantica monophylla and exotic weeds such as Prosopis juliflora are widely distributed.
The corridor beginning at 1st hairpin bend (behind Govt. Horticultural Garden at Kallar) goes up to Pillur reservoir along the banks of Bhavani river.It has contiguity with Attapadi Valley and Silent Valley National Park.
The length of the corridor is 10.8 km and width ranges from 0.25 to 3 km. Elephants strong preference to this corridor during their seasonal migration shows its importance. Of late, elephants are migrating across the corridor by selectivity utilizing the lowland forests on the banks of Bhavani River.
Anaikatti - Veerapandi Corridor
This corridor lies between 76045"8'-76053"56' N and 11010"50'-1105"25' E in the Western part of the Coimbatore District and is bounded in the north by Periyanaickan Palayam Range, in the south by Anuvavi Subramanian Koil, east by Chinna Thadagam and west by Anaikatti Village. This corridor begins at Mukkali (within the state of Tamil Nadu), Anaikatti linking Periyanaickan Palayam Range in the eastern portion and Bolampatti Range in the South.
The length of the corridor is 21 km and effective width ranges from 0.1 to 1.5 km. The terrain consists of undulating plains and hillocks. Kodungarai pallam is a perennial stream provide major water source to elephants in this region.
Seasonal water sources such as Anaikuzhi Pallam and Moongil Pallam are also part of this corridor. Sub tropical thorn and dry deciduous forests (Champion and Seth, 1968) are the commonly found vegetation types. The tree cover is dominated by Albizzia amara with signs of over browsing by elephants.
Connectivity between this corridor and the Mannar Ghat Forest Division of the Kerala state inside the forest areas are,
- Doomanur–Sembukarai–Moolagangal–Kerala
- Mangarai–Perumalmudi-Moolagangal–Kerala
- Doovaipathy–Veerapandy–Anaikatti–Mukkaali–Silent Valley NP and
- Mangarai–Kandyvazhi–Kondanur–Pudur–Anaikatti–Mukkaali–Silent Valley NP.
Maruthamalai - Thanikandi Corridor
This corridor lies between 76043"1'-76049"5' N and 1103"5'-11058"35' E in the Western part of the Coimbatore District and is bounded in the north and south by Coimbatore Range, in the West by Kerala State, and in the east by Irruttupallam village. This corridor begins at Thanikandi and ends with Attapadi Valley of Kerala State.
The length of the corridor is 13 km and effective width ranges from 0.4 to 1.5 km. The terrain comprises of undulating plains and steep slopes/hillocks. Major perennial water sources are Vaidhegi Falls, Papanasam, Attukal and Paraikinaru.
Anaimadu is a seasonal water source located near Attukkal. Tropical thorn forest in the plains, bamboo patches and mixed dry deciduous vegetations are commonly found in this corridor tract in the sloppy areas.
The tree cover is dominated by Albizzia amara and Tectona grandis. Connectivity between this corridor and Kerala State Forest Division inside the forest areas are:
- Balaji Nagar–Paaraikinaru–Perumalmudi-Kerala
- Vaidegi Falls–Kerala Forest Division
- Thanikandi–Mailonbunglow- Siruvani foot hills–Kerala Forest Division.
Kalkothi - Walyar Corridor
This corridor located (76044"58'-76054"24' N and 10055"49'-10053"14' E) southwest of Coimbatore District and bounded in the north by Bolampatti Range, in the south by Palghat Gap, in the west by Mannarkad Forest Division (Kerala) and in the east by large human habitations. This corridor begins from Kalkothi (Bolampatti Range) and ends with Chinnampathy of Mannarkad Forest Division through Perumalkoilpathy, Mangalapalayam, Walayar (Coimbatore Range). The length of the corridor is 21 kms. The effective width ranges from 0.2 to 0.9 km.
The terrain is sloppy in most of the areas. Very little areas are available to elephants with undulating terrain in the foot hills. The perennial water sources are Anaimoolai, Surulipadugai, Orathi, Paarapatti and Chinnampathy. There are some seasonal water sources also in this corridor.
Bamboo patches form the major vegetative cover. Connectivity between this corridor and Kerala State Forest Division inside the forest areas are:
- Surulipadugai –Anaimoolai–Chinnar–Periyar–Mailonbungalow–Mannarkad Forest Division,
- Surulipadugai–Ellaipaarai–Sethukkuzhi–Thoothamalai–Kalkotthi–Kutralamelthenbarai–Pildam–Kerala Forest Division,
- Surulipadugai-Eechambil–Periyaattumalai– Mannarkad Forest Division,
- Surulipadugai–Kalvaikal–Chinnaattumalai–Kearala Forest Division,
- Sayakaranmadai–Parapatti–Malampuzha–Kerala Forest Division, and
- Sugamparai–Koochimalai–Walayar–Kerala Forest Division.
Courtesy:
Dr. B.Ramakrishnan, Field Officer, Wildlife Trust of India, Coimbatore
K.Ramkumar, Wildlife Biologist, Coimbatore Forest Division, Coimbatore.