Mukurthi National Park

About Mukurthi National Park:

• It is located in the western corner of the Nilgiris Plateau in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu.
• The park was created to protect its keystone species, the Nilgiri tahr.
• Pykara and Kundah rivers flow through the park along with several perennial streams that originate in the park and drain into the Bhavani Puzha.
• It is designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site 
• Vegetation: The Park is characterised by montane grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas in a high altitude area of high rainfall.
• Flora: Here one can find shrubs like Gaultheria fragrantissima, Helichrysum and Berberis tinctoria. Other plants which can be seen here are Rhododendrons, Cinnamon, Mahonia, Satyrium, Raspberries etc.
• Fauna: The park is home to some of the endangered wild species like Nilgiri tahr, Indian elephants, Nilgiri Langur, Bengal tiger and bonnet macaque etc.

Q1) What is a plateau?

A plateau is a flat, elevated landform characterized by relatively level terrain with steep slopes or cliffs along its edges. Plateaus can vary in size, elevation, and geological composition. They are formed through geological processes and can be found on every continent.

Source: Combing operations conducted in areas surrounding Mukurthi National Park in the Nilgiris