Valparai hills in Western Ghats (Anamalais), a green carpet, made of tea plantations covering a 3000 to 5000 feet high plateau that spreads over 217.87 Sq.Km, is a paradise for nature lovers. Prior to the beginning of plantations in the 1890s, it was a solid tropical evergreen forest. Even today the hill is rich in Flora and Fauna. There is a huge population of elephants, panthers, tigers, lion tailed black monkeys, sambars, brown flying squirrels, bisons, bears, wild dogs, wild goats, porcupines. Rare birds like jungle fowls, partridges, peafowls, greens and blue pigeons can be sighted often. Horn bills are in plenty. The present day plantations mostly consist of tea, coffee and pepper mostly owned by big corporate houses providing employment opportunities to thousands.