Tamil Nadu has a varied and diverse topography, which supports a variety of flora and fauna. About 18 percent of the total geographical area of the state is under forests. These forests stretch over the plain and the mountains. Dry-deciduous forests, scrubs, thorn forests and mangroves are spread over dry lands while the Western Ghats and other cooler regions support moist deciduous, wet evergreen forests, grasslands and Sholas (Sholas are a form of montane wet temperate forests, which occur predominantly in sheltered pockets of the Nilgiris and Upper Palni areas of Tamil Nadu).

The mixed deciduous forests of the Western Ghats region are home to a majority of plant species found in Tamil Nadu. These hills are an ideal refuge for elephants, bisons, tigers, deer and monkeys. The Nilgiri hills have a number of medicinal plants and a variety of flowers. Cinchona and eucalyptus are some of the examples. Medicinal herbs are also found in the Palani hills and Courtallam. Tirunelveli district is known for the Palmyra tree, whose products are used as raw materials for several cottage industries. Rubber is the main plantation crop in Kanyakumari while sandalwood grows in the Javadi hills of Vellore district.

The animal life in Tamil Nadu is also varied. Several wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks have been set up to preserve the animal life in the state. Wildlife sanctuaries like Madumalai and Annamalai are situated in the Western Ghats. These hills provide ideal conditions for a variety of animal and plant life. In all, there are five National Parks and seventeen wildlife sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. Some of the important wildlife sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu are the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Kalakadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, the Viralimalai Sanctuary and the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. The Marine National Park and the Guindy National Park are one of the most visited places.

Anna Zoological Park
Situated at Vandalur, in the outskirts of Chennai, the Anna zoological park is one of the modern zoos of India and the biggest in South East Asia. The zoological Park spreads over an area of about 510 hectares of dry evergreen forests.

Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Anamalai wildlife sanctuary is one of the most attractive preserves of nature in Tamil Nadu. It is also called the India Gandhi national Park and located in the Western Ghats near Pollachi, about 90 km from Coimbatore. The wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of about 958-sq-kms.

Crocodile Bank
The Chennai Crocodile Bank is located about 44 Km from the Chennai city. This crocodile bank houses several species of Indian and African crocodiles and alligators. Here, the crocodiles are kept in their natural environment in open pools and can be viewed from safe proximity.

Guindy National Park
The Guindy National Park forms one of the main attractions for people coming to Chennai for vacations. The National Park is an amazing picnic spot for you, your family and friends. Spending a day out in the lap of nature and wildlife is an amazing experience. To add to its natural beauty, the National Park has a snake park and a children's park.

Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a unique marine biosphere reserve, located in the Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamilnadu. Rich in marine life, the Gulf of Mannar is spread over an area of about 10,500-sq-kms with 21 islands and continuous stretches of coral reef.

Mudumalai Bird Sanctuary
The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is located amidst the beautiful Nilgiri Hills. This is the point where the Western Ghats merge with the Eastern Ghats. The relief of the sanctuary is an interesting mix of plain, swamp, undulating parkland, open grassland, valleys and streams. There is a National Park measuring 103 sq km inside the sanctuary.

Mukkurthi National Park
The Mukkurthi National Park is located in the Nilgiri Hills and forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere reserves. It is interspersed with sholas and woodland. Situated about 40 Km from Udhagamandalam, Mukkurthi National Park is home to a variety of animal and bird life.

Point Calimere Sanctuary
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.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Vedanthangal, the oldest bird sanctuary in India is one place, which can't easily fade off from one's memories. The sanctuary is an amazing place to be in, especially during the Sunset, as you can spot thousands of birds returning to their nests and dotting trees. You can spot several species of birds of which most are migratory.