Among the many wildlife sanctuaries in the state of Karnataka, one of the most popular among tourists remains the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in Somwarpeth in the Kodagu district. The fact that this sanctuary is also home to some of the most rare, endangered bird species has also led to the proposal towards making this sanctuary a World Heritage Site. This sanctuary is named after Pushpagiri peak which is the highest peak in the premises. This sanctuary also encompasses Kadamakkal Reserve Forest and Kumaraparvat, another beautiful peak. Tourists who are interested in ecological tourism are surely in for a delight given the extensive number and variety of rare animal species found here. The attractive scenery of this region is also home to a number of rare plant species, like the Mesua Ferrea (also known as Ceylon Ironwood, Cobra’s Saffron or the Indian Rose Chestnut), the Dysoxylum malabaricum (known as White Cedar), Artocarpus Lakoocha (Monkey Jack) and Albizia Lebbeck (known as the Singer Tree or the Woman’s Tongue).
