Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

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About Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:

Location: It is located in the Southern Western Ghats in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu.
It was established as a Tiger Reseve in 1988.
This reserve is a mixture of three main sanctuaries: Kalakad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and a part of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
Nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Agastya Malai Hill Range forms the core area of the sanctuary and is part of one of the world’s 18 biodiversity hotspots.
The reserve is also known as the “River Sanctuary”, with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
Terrain: Undulating with several valleys and porous rocks.
Vegetation:
- It varies from thorny shrub jungles to lush evergreen forests.
- In addition to forests, savannah woodlands, and grasslands, there are tea and coffee plantations within the reserve.
- Flora: Important species include Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum, druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, etc.
Fauna: Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, wild dog, sloth bear, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque, etc.

Q1) What is a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)?

According to the Supreme Court (in Janata Dal v. H.S.Chaudhary, 1993) Public Interest Litigation (PIL) means a legal action started in a court of law for the enforcement of public/general interest where the public or a particular class of the public have some interest (including pecuniary interest) that affects their legal rights or liabilities.Public Interest is the interest belonging to a particular class of the community that affects their legal rights or liabilities.

Source: Plea to restrict entry of outsiders inside Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve to protect flora, fauna