By the mid-1800s, large tracts of the Valparai Plateau in the Anamalais region were deforested for tea and coffee plantations owned by Europeans and Indians from coastal towns, as native inhabitants refused to work or were inefficient workers so labor was brought in from Tamil Nadu plains. While some forest areas were reserved for timber, this region of the Western Ghats under the Bombay Presidency was also extensively exploited for teak until sustainable forest management was established in 1855 under efforts of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Over time unique habitats in the area received additional protections, and it is now the core area of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and under consideration as a UNESCO

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2.  By the mid-1800s, large tracts of Valparai Plateau in
the Anamalais were under intense tea or
coffee plantations after deforestation of the natural
forests.
 By 1866 two-thirds of the plantations were owned
by Europeans and the remaining by Indians from
coastal towns.
 Since most native inhabitants either refused to work
or were inefficient workers, labour for plantations
was brought from the plains of Tamil Nadu to clear
forests and grow coffee.

4.  Some parts of the forest however were
reserved for timber including large areas
around Top Slip.
 This part of the Western Ghats, under
the Bombay Presidency were exploited
extensively for teak which was supplied to
the Bombay Dockyard for shipbuilding and
later for railroad ties.

5.  In 1855, this area came under sustainable
forest management for teak plantations
by the pioneering efforts Douglas
Hamilton and Dr. H. F. Cleghorn of the
new Tamil Nadu Forest Department.
 In the early 1900s, protection of
the Karian Sholas was also ensured .

6.  The area was notified as Anaimalai Wildlife
Sanctuary in 1974.
 Unique habitats at 3 places – Karian Shola,
Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley were notified
as a National Park in 1989.
 The 108 square kilometers (42 sq mi)
National Park is the core area of the 958
square kilometers (370 sq mi) Indira Gandhi
Wildlife Sanctuary. IGWS was declared
a Project Tiger tiger reserve in 2008.

7.  The Park and the Sanctuary is under
consideration by UNESCO as part of The
Western Ghats World Heritage site.
 The Sanctuary and the Palni Hills in Dindigul
District form the Anaimalai Conservation
Area.