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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Life in Tamil Nadu}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}<br />
[[File:Mudumalai by N A Nazeer (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Bengal tiger]] in [[Mudumalai National Park]]]] <br />
[[File:Niltahr.jpg|thumb|[[Endangered]] [[Nilgiri tahr]], state animal of Tamil Nadu]]<br />
There are more than 2000 species of fauna that can be found in [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>[[Tamil ests.tn.nic.in/WLTourism.htm Tamil Nadu Wildlife Tourism]</ref> This rich wildlife is attributed to the diverse relief features as well as favorable climate and vegetation in the Indian state.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Geography Course, Book 9|last=Meenakshi|first=S.|publisher=Pearson Education India|year=2007|isbn=9788131703540|location=New Delhi|pages=52}}</ref> Recognizing the state's role in preserving the current environment, the government has established several wildlife and bird sanctuaries as well as national parks, which entail stringent protective measures. Tamil Nadu is also included in the International Network of Biosphere Reserves, which facilitates international recognition and additional funding.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences|last=Bebarta|first=Kailash|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=2011|isbn=9788180697197|location=New Delhi|pages=46}}</ref> Currently, there are five national parks and 17 sanctuaries that serve as homes to the wildlife.<br />
<br />
==Mammals==<br />
[[File:Elephants,masanagudi,tamilnadu - panoramio.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Indian elephant]] in [[Masinagudi]], [[Tamil Nadu]]]]<br />
Tamil Nadu is known for the diversity of its mammals due to the varying environs that sustain both dry and moist deciduous forests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ashextourism.com/Tamilnadu/wildlife.htm|title=Tamil Nadu -Wildlife|website=ashextourism.com|access-date=2018-06-08}}</ref> Notable species include Arboreal animals distributed in its hills, grasslands, mangroves, scrubs and forests. These also include vulnerable species like the [[Bengal tiger]], [[Nilgiri tahr|Nilgiri Tahr]], and the [[lion-tailed macaque]]. <br />
<br />
Other mammals found in Tamil Nadu include:<ref>Tamil Nadu Forest Department, retrieved 7/30/2007 [http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WLTWLS.htm Wild Life Sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu]</ref><br />
{{col div|colwidth=20em}} <br />
*Bengal tiger<br />
*Asian elephant<br />
*Indian leopard<br />
*[[sloth bear]]<br />
*[[gaur]]<br />
*[[Manjampatti white bison]]<br />
*[[wild boar]]<br />
*[[lion-tailed macaque]]<br />
*[[Nilgiri langur]]<br />
*[[gray langur]]<br />
*[[bonnet macaque]]<br />
*[[four-horned antelope]]<br />
*[[dhole]]<br />
*[[honey badger]] <br />
*[[tree shrew]]<br />
*[[sambar deer]]<br />
*[[mouse deer]]<br />
*[[Indian muntjac]]<br />
*[[jungle cat]]<br />
*[[leopard cat]]<br />
*[[small Indian civet]]<br />
*[[Asian palm civet]]<br />
*[[small Indian mongoose]]<br />
*[[blackbuck]]<br />
*[[chital]]<br />
*[[Nilgiri marten]]<br />
*[[Petinomys fuscocapillus|Travancore flying squirrel]]<br />
*[[grizzled giant squirrel]]<br />
*[[Indian giant flying squirrel]]<br />
*[[Indian palm squirrel]]<br />
*[[black-naped hare]]<br />
*[[grey slender loris]]<br />
*[[Indian pangolin]]<br />
*[[Malabar spiny dormouse]]<br />
*[[Bengal fox]]<br />
*[[smooth-coated otter]]<br />
*[[Asian small-clawed otter]]<br />
*[[bare-bellied hedgehog]]<br />
*[[Indian crested porcupine]]<br />
{{div col end}}<br />
<br />
==Birds==<br />
<br />
{{See also|List of birds of Tamil Nadu}}<br />
[[File:Garrulax cachinnans.svg|thumb|right| Endangered [[Rufous-breasted laughingthrush|Nilgiri laughing thrush]]]] <br />
Birds found in Tamil Nadu include:<br />
<br />
{{col div|colwidth=20em}}<br />
*[[Malabar trogon]] <br />
*[[Malabar pied hornbill]] <br />
*[[Nilgiri Wood-pigeon]] <br />
*[[Rufous-breasted laughingthrush|Nilgiri laughing thrush]] <br />
*[[peregrine falcon]] <br />
*[[Hieraaetus fasciatus|Bonelli's eagle]] <br />
*[[Eurystomus orientalis|dollarbird]] <br />
*[[Nilgiri pipit]] <br />
*[[little spiderhunter]] <br />
*[[white-bellied shortwing]] <br />
*[[little ringed plover]] <br />
*[[Indian swiftlet]] <br />
*[[white-bellied treepie]] <br />
*[[white-bellied woodpecker]]<br />
*[[green imperial pigeon]] <br />
*[[Nilgiri flycatcher]] <br />
*[[great eared nightjar]] <br />
*[[grey junglefowl]] <br />
*[[heart-spotted woodpecker]] <br />
*[[peafowl]] <br />
*[[grey-fronted green pigeon]] <br />
*[[wood sandpiper]] <br />
*[[vernal hanging parrot]] <br />
*[[Malabar parakeet]] <br />
*[[white-browed bulbul]] <br />
*[[stork-billed kingfisher]] <br />
*[[grey-headed fish-eagle]] <br />
*[[brown-capped pygmy woodpecker]] <br />
*[[black-and-orange flycatcher]] <br />
*[[brown-headed barbet]] <br />
*[[blue-bearded bee-eater]] <br />
*[[broad-tailed grassbird]] <br />
*[[cormorant]] <br />
*[[darter]] <br />
*[[heron]] <br />
*[[egret]] <br />
*[[Asian openbill stork|open-billed stork]] <br />
*[[spoonbill]] <br />
*[[Black-headed ibis|white ibis]] <br />
*[[little grebe]] <br />
*[[Common moorhen#Eurasian common moorhen|Indian moorhen]] <br />
*[[black-winged stilt]]{{col div end}}<br />
<br />
There are also a few migratory [[duck]]s and occasionally a [[Pelecanus philippensis|grey pelican]].<br />
<br />
==Marine species==<br />
[[File:Southern Birdwing - Sohini Vanjari.jpg|thumb|[[Southern birdwing]]<br /> the largest butterfly in South India]]<br />
Marine species include the [[dugong]], [[turtle]], [[dolphin]] and ''[[Balanoglossus]]''.<br />
<br />
==Insects==<br />
Butterfly species found in Tamil Nadu include: <br />
<br />
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}<br />
*[[southern birdwing]]<br />
*[[common rose]]<br />
*[[crimson rose]]<br />
*[[common bluebottle]]<br />
*[[common jay]]<br />
*[[tailed jay]]<br />
*[[spot swordtail]]<br />
*[[five-bar swordtail]]<br />
*[[common mime]]<br />
*lime<br />
*[[Malabar banded swallowtail]]<br />
*[[Malabar raven]]<br />
*[[red Helen]]<br />
*[[common Mormon]]<br />
*[[blue Mormon]]<br />
*[[paris peacock]]<br />
*[[Malabar banded peacock]]<br />
*[[common banded peacock]]<br />
*[[common emigrant]]<br />
*[[mottled emigrant]]<br />
*[[small grass yellow]]<br />
*[[common grass yellow]]<br />
*[[common Jezebel]]<br />
*[[Psyche butterfly]]<br />
*[[Cepora nerissa|common gull]]<br />
*[[Cepora nadina|lesser gull]]<br />
*pioneer or [[Belenois|caper white]]<br />
*[[plain puffin]]<br />
*[[chocolate albatross]]<br />
*[[Appias albina|common albatross]]<br />
*[[Appias wardii|lesser albatross]]<br />
*[[Colotis etrida|small orange tip]]<br />
*[[white orange tip]]<br />
*[[Ixias pyrene|yellow orange tip]]<br />
*[[common wanderer]]<br />
*[[great orange tip]]<br />
{{div col end}}<br />
<br />
==Reptiles==<br />
[[File:KINGCOBRA.jpg|thumb|[[King cobra]]]]<br />
Reptilian species found in Tamil Nadu include:<br />
<br />
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}<br />
*[[Mugger crocodile]]<br />
*[[king cobra]]<br />
*[[bamboo pit viper]]<br />
*[[Indian cobra]]<br />
*[[Indian python]]<br />
*[[Travancore tortoise]]<br />
*[[spectacled cobra]]<br />
*[[common krait]]<br />
*[[Ahaetulla nasuta|common green whip snake]]<br />
*[[Oligodon taeniolatus|Russell's kukri]]<br />
*[[common Indian monitor]]<br />
*[[Indian chameleon]]<br />
*[[Oriental garden lizard]]<br />
*[[South Indian flying lizard]]<br />
*[[olive ridley turtle]]<br />
*[[Cochin forest cane turtle]]<br />
*[[Indian black turtle]]<br />
*[[Russell's viper]]<br />
{{div col end}}<br />
<br />
There are also various species of skinks and geckos.<br />
<br />
==Amphibians==<br />
<br />
Amphibian species include:<ref>Sajeev T.K. et al., Management of Forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forest Productivity- A New Perspective WII-USDA Forest Service Collaborative Project Grant No. FG-In-780 (In-FS-120), Volume III (ACA) pp 41-168.[http://www.wii.gov.in/download/volume3(ACA).pdf Anaimalai Conservation Area]</ref><br />
* [[Nyctibatrachus major|Large wrinkled frog]]<br />
* [[Melanobatrachus indicus|Malabar black narrow mouthed frog]] <br />
* [[Limnonectes keralensis|Kerala warty frog]]<br />
* [[Nyctibatrachus beddomii|pigmy wrinkled frog]]<br />
* [[Tomopterna parambikulamana|burrowing frog]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
* Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Environment, State of Environment Report - 2005, Biodiversity [http://www.environment.tn.nic.in/soe/images/biodiversity.pdf Chapt. 11.2 Tamil Nadu's Biodiversity]<br />
{{refend}}<br />
<br />
{{Tamil Nadu}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Wildlife of India|Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Environment of Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Tourism in Tamil Nadu]]</div>
>BhagyaMani