Tourism Minister R. Rajendran, K. Manivasan, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture, and Religious Endowments Department, and Innocent Divya, Commissioner, Department of Tourism, at the book launch event on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: M. SRINATH

Tourism Minister R. Rajendran on Saturday launched Wildlife of Tamil Nadu, a coffee-table book published jointly by The Hindu Group and the Department of Tourism, at an event held by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) in Chennai.

According to an official release, the book presents a visual and narrative journey through Tamil Nadu’s diverse natural landscapes, wildlife habitats, ecological systems, and cultural history. The book explores the forests of the Western Ghats, including Mudumalai, Anamalai, and Kalakkad-Mundanthurai, which serve as habitats for elephants, tigers, hornbills, and rare species such as the lion-tailed macaque and the Nilgiri tahr.

It highlights the State’s coastal wetlands such as Pulicat and Point Calimere, which host thousands of migratory birds every winter. The book also includes a chapter on the Gulf of Mannar, where coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangrove islands support rich marine biodiversity.

Mr. Rajendran said the book would remind future generations of the need to preserve the State’s natural wealth. He appreciated The Hindu Group for bringing out a comprehensive coffee-table book on the ecology of various landscapes.

K. Manivasan, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture, and Religious Endowments Department; J. Innocent Divya, Tourism Commissioner and Managing Director of the TTDC; and Ramya Kannan, Health Editor and Chief of Bureau, The Hindu, were among those present. Officials of the Tourism Department were also present.

Published – March 14, 2026 10:18 pm IST