Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve

Located in the Tiruppadaimarathur village in Tirunelveli district near Kumbakonam, Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve is an IUCN Category 5 protected bird nesting region. Sprawling over a vast 2.84 hectares, the reserve is established within the Shiva temple compound and was declared as the first conservation reserve of the country on 14th of February, 2005. The reserve was born as a combined community effort to protect the wildlife and the birds in the area and is currently managed and maintained by the local village community and Tamil Nadu Forest Department .

Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve boasts of over 400 little egrets, pond herons and threatened painted stork species. The area is dotted with around 20 ancient trees of maruthu, mahwa, neem and illuppai and has a few tiny ponds. The birds nestle in and around the trees, in the temple premises and on the village houses. Spot-billed pelicans can also be spotted in the area.