Flora and Fauna of Kanyakumari District

Fauna

The flora and fauna of Kanyakumari District are vast and diverse.

Animals on the hills of the district include porcupines, hedgehogs, wild boars, etc., while storks , water hens, cranes are commonly found in the water bodies and wetlands. Reptiles include monitor lizards, pythons and other snakes.

In Mahendragiri hills (about 4000 ft above sea level), one can find bucks, leopards and deer. (Leopard-cubs often stray onto the highway near the hills and are sometimes run over by motorists).

Keeriparai and Maramalai, are habitats for wild elephants, while bisons and bears are mainly found in the Kodayar hills.

In the Theroor wetlands, one can see several varieties of storks and migratory birds during specific seasons. Trouts are commonly found in the Pechiparai reservoir (lake).

Flora

Kanyakumari district is noted for its medicinal plants and herbs. The district also has a huge forest cover, accommodating a wide variety of plants, trees, shrubs, etc.

Commercial varieties include various kinds of Plantain (like Nenthiram, Palayamkotan, Thuluvam, Matti), Jack fruit (like Varikila and Koolan), Mango (varieties like Alphonsa, Bangalora, Neelam and Ottu) and coconut, which add to the richness of the cultivated crops and plants of the district. In addition to fruits, a variety of flowers like roses and jasmine are also produced.

Gardening is a big passion among the locals (throughout the district) and some of the best varieties of plants are seen on display outside houses. Common garden varieties include Crotons, Lillies, Dahlia, etc.

In areas like Keeriparai, one can see varieties of ferns, bamboo and other tropical plants. At Pechipaarai, one comes across trees like 'Flame of the Forest', with its reddish and orange leaves and flowers, sparkling in an area of green cover.

Rubber estates are found in the hilly areas surrounding Arumanai, Kaliyal etc.

Maruthuvazhmalai (or medicinal) Hill, near Kanyakumari.

Medicinal Plants

The district is endowed by nature with several hills and mountains with rich herbs of medicinal value and minerals. Marunthuvazhmalai or Maruthuvamalai, a hill in the district located near Kanyakumari, literally means medicinal hill, and is referred to by Therapeutics (Buddhist monks) who belonged to the period of Emperor Asoka, as having medical and spiritual heritage. According to traditional beliefs, the hill was a piece of the mountain Gandha Madhana which dropped, while the mountain was being carried by Hanuman to Lanka during the epic war between Rama and Ravana. Today, rare medicinal herbs are available here in abundance.

Sage Agasthiya, the first grammarian of good old Tamil was also the foremost of the Siddhars (the practitioners of herbal medicines). This sage is believed to have lived in 'the land’s end' and there is also a village by the name Agasteeswaram near Maruthuvamalai which owes its name to the dwarf sage. In this village, there is a temple dedicated to Agasteeswaramudaiyar which is believed to have been consecrated by Agasthiya himself. Besides medicine and grammar, Agasthiya was also adept in Varma Sastra. General palm leaf records like ‘Varmani’ and Varma Sastra were written by Agasthiya. Even today, this healing art of varmam treatment is taught in Kanyakumari in the Guru-Sishya tradition, and treatment is also done by elders who are quite conversant with this method of treatment by applying Tamil medicines in required proportion.