Sigur Plateau
Sigur Plateau
Nilgiri North Division | |
|---|---|
Reserve forest | |
Sigur plateau, Nilgiris range to south | |
| Coordinates: 11°31′3″N 76°47′16″E / 11.51750°N 76.78778°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Region | Nilgiri Hills |
| District | Nilgiri |
| Area | |
• Total | 778.8 km2 (300.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 900 m (3,000 ft) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Nearest city | Ootacamund |
| IUCN category | VI |
| Adjacent to | W-Mudumalai National Park & Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary,
NW Bandipur National Park & Nagarhole National Park, N-Mysore District, NE-Sathyamangalam Wildllife Sanctuary & Biligiriranga Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, S-Ootacamund. |
| Governing body | Tamil Nadu Forest Dept |
| Topographic map | Nilgiri North Reserved forests |
| Climate | Am (Köppen) |
| Avg. summer temperature | 32 °C (90 °F) |
| Avg. winter temperature | 10 °C (50 °F) |
Sigur Plateau (Segur Plateau) is a plateau in the north and east of Nilgiri District in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, South India. It covers the 778.8 square kilometres (300.7 sq mi) portion of the Moyar River drainage basin on the northern slopes of the Nilgiri Hills, south of the Moyar River.
The Sigur Plateau is notable as an important wildlife corridor in the Western ghats to sustain elephant and tiger numbers and their genetic diversity.
It is an important link between several contiguous protected areas forming the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the largest protected forest area in India. This area supports over 6,300 elephants, that represents the largest single population of elephants and tigers in India.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which includes Sigur Plateau and the Nilgiri Hills, is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The Western Ghats, the Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (more than 6,000 square kilometres (2,316.6 sq mi)), including all of Mudumalai National Park and the reserve forests of the Sigur Plateau, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.
A proposal has been initiated to notify Sigur and adjoining forest areas as a wildlife sanctuary for Vultures.