Kodai flora and fauna

The Kodai area, lying at 7000 feet elevation in the Palni Hills,  has flora and fauna quite different from those of the surrounding South Indian plains.     What's found now in Kodai reflects both the mountain climate and human-caused effects, and things have changed markedly over the many years I've been visiting.

On the animal front, the place is now overrun with rhesus monkeys, especially in places that attract tourists and their snacks.    This one was about five feet off a heavily-traveled footpath.

The monkey population seems in little danger as long as snack food remnants remain.

Gaur, aka Indian Bison, are muscular, serious customers, weighing up to 2000 pounds and generally undeterred by fences.    This one must have been working out regularly if his back-muscle definition is any indication.   The photo's blurriness derives from the photographer's survival instinct.

In my youth gaur were never seen anywhere near Kodai town, and only rarely in the wild.   Now protected from hunting and lacking predators, they roam freely around the edges of town, and occasionally perforate an inhabitant.   This one was grazing in a pear orchard very near a friend's house.

On the flora front,  lantana has always been common in these hills.   The plant is sometimes considered a noxious weed, but I like its peppery green smell and cheerful colors.   It seems to thrive only above 5000 feet.

Kodai is too cold for some crops, but many grow in the vicinity, at lower elevations.     Here is shade-grown coffee at around 5000 feet:

This bizarre item is jackfruit ; the name supposedly derives from Malayalam, the language spoken next door in Kerala.   The fruits can weigh 50 pounds or more, and grow right off the trunk.    The outside has a rough, stippled texture;  the edible part inside is stringy and yellow.

The Kodai biome was long ago mainly grassland with densely wooded sholas  along the steep valley streambeds.       Shola trees are mainly deciduous, like those below.   Note the flowering rhododendron and the very steep terrain behind.     Thanks to its inaccessibility to humans this area still supports  wildlife.   We heard unusual langur monkeys calling below.

Eucalyptus was (perhaps unwisely) introduced to the area many years ago, and has spread promiscuously.    It's attractive, but has bad environmental effects, like absorbing excessive groundwater and drying out the sholas.

Camellias are native to Asia, but I'm guessing this one derives mainly from the British colonial period.