Cairn Hill Eco Tourism Site, Ooty, Nilgiris
Cairn Hill Eco Tourism Site is a Reserved Forest,
situated near Ooty Hill Station in Ooty Taluk in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. It extends over an area of 167.775
Ha. It has one of the oldest Cyprus Plantation in the Nilgiris (Planted in
1868). This Hill derived its name from a cairn (or piled stone circle – a pre-
historic burial site of the tribal’s) found at the highest point of the
reserve. It is one of the first Reserved Forest on the Upper Plateau formed in
late 1860’s.
The natural landscape of this place with a trek trail
around a small hillock in the center has attracted many people to have a
peaceful and calm spending time, out there. This is one of the few surviving
original walks as enjoyed by the Britishers. Cairn Hill is a part of the South
Range of Nilgiris South Forest Division. The site is surrounded by agricultural
fields and settlements. It is one of the oldest converted forests in the Upper
Nilgiris Plateau.
A few small patches of sholas still thrive amid the old
plantations of Pinus sp., Cyperus sp. and
Wattle Acacia mearnsii. Despite its small size, it is a promising
area for the conservation of endangered and Western Ghats endemic bird species.
A very small patch of shola is left in Cairn Hill that supports bird species of
conservation interest. Plantations, mainly Wattle and Cyperus form
the principal habitat type in Cairn Hill, replacing a significantly higher
proportion of the indigenous vegetation.
Over a hundred years old,
the Cyperus plantation stands tall, surrounded on all sides by
Wattle, at the top of the hill. Owing to the creation of bare patches in the
forest, shrub vegetation characteristic of forest edges now dominates this area. Rhododendron nilagiricum,
endemic to the Nilgiris, is very common. The grassland in and around this site
has disappeared during the 20th century. This eco centre has an
interpretation centre and an orchidarium.
Wildlife seen here are Gaur, Sambar Deer, Leopard,
Nilgiri Langur, Barking Deer, Porcupine. This site is also good for watching
some interesting Birds. It is also home to a number of Western Ghats endemics
such as the Nilgiri Laughing thrush Garrulax cachinnans, Nilgiri
Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudata, White-bellied Short wing Brachypteryx major,
Small Sunbird Nectarinia minima, Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon and Columba elphinstonii.
Besides, a number of restricted range and biome related species are recorded
from this site.
Cairn Hill Eco Tourism Site is located at about 4 Kms
from Ooty, 3 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 3 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 21 Kms
from Coonoor, 33 Kms from Kotagiri, 52 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 85
Kms from Coimbatore and 89 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Cairn Hill is situated along
the road leading towards Nanjanad, Avalanche, and Manjoor. This site lies
undisturbed from sound and pollution about 300 meters away from the main road.
