Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary
| Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
| Location | Virudhunagar, Madurai and Theni districts |
| Nearest city | Madurai |
| Coordinates | 9°34′30″N 77°33′30″E / 9.57500°N 77.55833°E |
| Area | 480 square kilometres (190 sq mi) |
| Established | December 1989 |
| Governing body | Tamil Nadu Forest Department |
| www | |
The Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS), also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary, was established in 1988 to protect the Near threatened grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura). Occupying an area of 485.2 km2, it is bordered on the southwest by the Periyar Tiger Reserve and is one of the best preserved forests south of the Palghat Gap.
The sanctuary covers 485 km2 (187 sq mi) in western Tamil Nadu, South India in the eastern water-shed of the Western Ghats and consists of high hills and valleys, with a number of peaks reaching up to 2,019 m (6,624 ft).