 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2022) |
| Mukurthi National Park | |
|---|---|
 Nilgiri tahr in montane grasslands | |
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| Location | Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu |
| Coordinates | 11°16′N 76°28.5′E / 11.267°N 76.4750°E |
| Area | 78.46 km2 (30.29 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2629 |
| Established | 12 December 2001 |
| Website | www |
Mukurthi National Park (MNP) is a 78.46 km2 (30.3 sq mi) protected area located in the western corner of the Nilgiris Plateau west of Ootacamund hill station in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu state in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India. The park was created to protect its keystone species, the Nilgiri tahr.[1]
The park is characterised by montane grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas in a high altitude area of high rainfall, near-freezing temperatures and high winds. It is home to an array of endangered wildlife, including royal Bengal tiger and Asian elephant, but its main mammal attraction is the Nilgiri tahr. The park was previously known as Nilgiri Tahr National Park.
The park is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India's first International Biosphere Reserve. As part of the Western Ghats, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1 July 2012.[2]
- ^ Dogra, Rakesh Kumar (7 July 2006), Mukurthi National Park Management plan; 2004–2009 (Draft ed.), Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu: Wildlife Warden, Mount Stuart Hill, The Protected Area part 1
- ^ "Four natural and four cultural properties added to UNESCO's World Heritage List on Sunday", whc.unesco.org, 1 July 2012 [1]