Location : Nagapattinam, Tamilnadu
Attractions : Flamingos and Blackbuck
Area : 377 Sq Km
Best Time : For water birds November to February and for Blackbuck and Chital throughout the year.
In Tamilnadu, there is no end to your wildlife adventure and exploration as we take you to yet another wildlife sanctuary- the Point Calimere Sanctuary. Spread over an area of about 17.26 sq km and surrounded by sea and shore, Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu. The sanctuary has a large population of wildlife such as chital, bonnet macaque, wild boar, flamingos, black Buck, gulls, teals, plover and terns. The wildlife enthusiast in you would surely be dazzled to encounter dolphins and turtles, which often come quite close to the shore.
Flora at Point Calimere Sanctuary
The diversity of habitats makes the vegetation of the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary quite diverse. This diversity ranges from dry evergreen forests, salt marsh, mangrove vegetation to grasslands. Of all the trees present in the forest, Manilkara hexandra and Salvadora persica are the dominant ones. You can also spot some insectivorous plants such as Drosera burmanii and D Indica. The marshy areas of the shore are home to Salicornia brachiata and Sessuvium portulacastrum while Calotropis gigantea, Prosopis chilensis and Pandanus tectorius occur in elevated regions.
Fauna at Point Calimere Sanctuary
Point Calimere Sanctuary is most famous for its flamingos and blackbuck. There is no end to your excitement at the sanctuary as you get to spot a vast variety of water birds such as plovers, teals, terns, gulls etc. Fourteen species of mammals have been reported from the Point Calimere Sanctuary. The larger mammals include the blackbuck, wild boar, spotted deer and jackal. Another interesting creature at the sanctuary is the flying fox that resides in large groups on trees. The water birds in the great swamp and the dolphins and turtles that often come quite close to the shore are interesting to see.
How to Reach
By Air : The nearest airport is Thiruchirappalli, 225 km away.
By Rail : Nearest Railway station, Thiruthuraipoondi is 42 km away.
By Road : Point Calimere Sanctuary is well connected with nearby areas and other important towns through roads.