The beauty of nature and native flora comes to the forefront in the Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park at Anaikatti, Coimbatore.
Think of the Nilgiri Biosphere and you probably conjure images of wild animals (specifically like the tiger), but there is much more to see in this extensive Western Ghats that is an ode to its varied biodiversity.
“I hope this is not like a zoo,” I asked hesitantly at the ticket counter of Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park (NBNP) at Thuvaipathy village. The bemused person at the counter tells me that this is anything but a zoo and in fact is a primer on local, traditional tree species and has a butterfly park among other things to see.
I gladly pay for the tickets and a camera permit, and a guide joins me as we enter the park. He explains that this space was established by the Coimbatore Zoological Park and Conservation Centre and has the objective to protect, conserve and propagate threatened, endemic, and endangered species of flora.
The in-house aquarium has fish found in Anaikatti like the Asiatic Snakehead, two spot barb, Metallic Hill Carp, Nilgiris Garra and Day’s Loach. There is a glass case that has a collection of seeds, barks, and leaves and another that has animal tracks and signs and a large comprehensive chart that lists fish found in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve as well.
Read the full story that first appeared in Hello 6E October 2022 here and here:
