Flora and fauna of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is rich in flora and fauna and some of its major wildlife sanctuaries like Mudumalai, Anaimalai(Indira Gandhi W.S), Madras Crocodile Bank trust, Guindy national park, etc, are situated in the hills of the Western ghats providing home to elephants, tigers, bisons and a variety of monkeys and deers. There are more than 3000 plant species found in Tamil Nadu, out of which a majority are found in the mixed deciduous forests of this region.

Tranquil Rivers

Kaveri is the recurrent river of the state Tamil Nadu, which originates in Coorg in the neighboring Karnataka. Kaveri irrigates the fertile Coromandel plains and its delta in Thanjavur - Nagapattinam region is known as the granary of Tamil Nadu. The other rivers in the state are the Palar, Pennar, Vaigai and Tamiraparani.

Bewitching Beaches

Tamil Nadu, the southern state of India, has some of the most exotic beaches in India, which have their own charm. The Marina beach is the second longest beach in the world and is a must visit. Another beach called the Elliot’s Beach is now a favorite shooting location for Tamil movies in Chennai. Apart from these there are many mesmerizing beaches like the Covelong beach, Kanyakumari beach, Rameshwarm beach, etc. These beaches are famous for various enjoyment activities like paragliding, surfing, swimming, sunbathing, parasailing, etc.

Tropical Climate

The climate of Tamil Nadu is tropical with little deviation in temperature in summer and winter. April and May are the hottest months with the temperature going above the 40ºC mark. The coastal regions get uncomfortably warm and humid during these months but the nights are usually cool, due to the sea breeze that sets in during the afternoon. Summer temperatures are quite temperate in the foothills of the Ghats.

The atmosphere at the hill stations are pleasant and the temperature is moderate. A mild winter falls between November and February when the climate is pleasantly cool.

Minimum temperature in the plains rarely drops below 20º C, while in the hills the mercury may drop to 5º C or below. The north-east monsoon brings rain in spurts between October and December. The average annual rainfall, ranges between 25 and 75 inches (635 and 1,905 mm) a year. Highest precipitation occurs in the Nilgiris and other hill areas with the least in the Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts.