Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka

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Key takeaways

The Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Kodagu district covers 105 sq. km of tropical rainforests and montane shola grasslands.
First notified in 1987 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, it belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage site cluster of the Western Ghats.
The sanctuary protects the headwaters of the Cauvery River and experiences heavy rainfall exceeding 6,000 mm annually.
It acts as a key corridor connecting Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary to Kerala, housing endangered species like lion-tailed macaques and holding Important Bird Area (IBA) status.

Forest department officials in Karnataka arrested eight poachers after a late-night chase and gunfight.
The operation took place in the Akkikandi forest range inside the Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary.

This protected area sits in the central Western Ghats region.
The sanctuary features dense tropical rainforests, high montane shola grasslands, and elevated mountain ridges.

The sanctuary lies in the Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka.
It shares borders with the Ranipuram and Kottencheri hills located in Kerala's Kasaragod district.

The sanctuary gets its name from Talakaveri, a holy spring on the Brahmagiri hill range.
This sacred spring marks the origin point of the Cauvery River on the eastern border of the reserve.
The government established it as a wildlife sanctuary in 1987 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
It spreads across an area of nearly 105 sq. km.
It forms a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site cluster in the Western Ghats under the Brahmagiri-Talakaveri sub-cluster.

Wet evergreen and semi-evergreen trees dominate these tropical forests.
Key plant species include Dysoxylum malabaricum, Mesua ferrea, and Artocarpus lakoocha alongside shola grasslands.
The sanctuary protects the main origin and upper catchment area of the Cauvery River.
This protection keeps water flowing continuously and maintains water stability across southern India.
It shelters threatened species like tigers, Asian elephants, leopards, small-clawed otters, stripe-necked mongooses, and lion-tailed macaques.
The area is an Important Bird Area (IBA) housing species like the Malabar trogon, Nilgiri wood pigeon, Asian fairy-bluebird, and great hornbill.

It creates a natural bridge between Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and protected forests in Kerala.
This connection allows animals to move safely, mate across groups, and travel between habitats in the Western Ghats.
The dense forests handle heavy yearly rainfall that exceeds 6,000 mm.
This thick tree cover prevents soil erosion, controls sudden flash floods, and feeds water into the Cauvery river basin.