Parks & Reserves
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary: The Vembanad Lake, the most extensive body of water in Kerala's backwaters, is fed by six rivers draining into it from the Western Ghats. The silts deposited by these rivers have created several islands rich in birdlife. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary hosts large populations of Purple Herons, Little Cormorants, Indian Shag and Pond Heron. Best visited between November and March when the sanctuary attracts northern hemisphere birds on their winter migration.
Backwaters of Kerala: Explore the fascinating backwaters of Kerala. A magnificent network of lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and 41 rivers make up the 900 kms of backwaters. The most expansive stretch of Kerala’s backwaters is the Vembanad Lake which extends 75 kms from Kollam in the South to Kochi in the North and flows out to the Arabian Sea at Cochin Port. Within this area, known as Kuttanad, the most scenic stretch of backwaters is from Kollam to Alleppey. Kuttanad country is described as the `rice bowl of Kerala’ and is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary: Covering 780 sq kms of Kerala’s Spice Country, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most popular in India, attracting 300,000 visitors per year. It is situated around a British-engineered reservoir designed to supply water to Kerela's dry neighbour, Tamil Nadu. The park was first declared a forest reserve by the Maharaja of Travencore over a century ago. Tigers are rarely seen here, but they can occasionally be heard hunting at night. Elephants are seen wading in the cool waters. Other animals include bison, sambar, barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, gaur, wild boar as well as more than 300 species of birds and 100 species of butterfly. As an eco-tourism initiative, the Forest Department recruits villagers from the Mannan tribe to conduct nature walks for guests within the fringes of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Guests can accompany a Mannan warden at night on his `Jungle Patrol’ or join him by day on a full-day `Border Hiking’ tour which takes you into the thick jungle on foot. The 'Periyar Tiger Trail' is a two-day adventurous trek for serious trekkers where armed guards take you into the thick of the jungle in search of the elusive Tiger. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from September to May when the dry season draws the park's animals out of the forest to the lake. There are several tribal villages within the Periyar Reserve that can be visited on your trek.
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary: A two hour drive from Cochin, on the northern bank of the Periyar River near Kothamanagalam in Ernakulam district, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary was officially formed in 1983. About 50 years earlier, Dr Salim Ali, India’s most famous birder, described Thattekad as the "richest bird habitat in peninsular India." Unfortunately, much of the forest has now been converted to commercial use. The current 25 sq km bird sanctuary still boasts 270 species, including the rare spot-bellied eagle owl, grey-headed bulbul, rusty-tailed flycatcher and mottled wood owl.
Eravikulam National Park: Located 13km south of Munnar at an elevation of about 2,000m, the Eravikulam National Park extends over 100 sq kms of moist evergreen forest and grassy hilltops in the Western Ghats. This park is home to the largest surviving population of Nilgiri Tahr, one of the world’s rarest mountain goats. More than 135 species of birds, 100 species of butterflies, Civet cat, Nilgiri langur, Wild boar can be spotted in Eravikulam National Park. The grassy hills of Eravikulam take on a vibrant purple hue once in 12 years when the beautiful Neelakurinji flower blooms – a rare and memorable sight.
Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary: Situated in Wayanad in Northern Kerala, the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is the southern portion of the Waynand forest reserve. Located about 40 km east of Kalpetta, the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is noted for elephants, wild boar, and bear. Although Tigers also inhabit the park, it is rarely spotted. Trekking within the sanctuary accompanied by a Forest Department guide is permitted only during the early morning hours.
Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary: Tholpetty covers the northern part of the Wayand forest reserve in Northern Kerala. This is one of the best Wildlife Sanctuaries in South India to see elephants as well as sambar, bison, wild boar, spotted deer, macaques and langurs. Tigers are rarely seen here.
Silent Valley National Park: Declared a National Park in 1984, the Silent Valley National Park is unique, with well-preserved tropical forests extending over an area of 90 sq kms. It is located at the south-western corner of the Western Ghats in the district of Pallakad. The absence of Cicadas in the forest has led to the name `Silent Valley’. The animals found here include the endangered lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, hairy-winged bat, Indian pangoline, rock python, civet, sambar, gaur and elephants. A total of 170 species of birds have been identified of which 31 are migrants. Some of the rare birds spotted here include the Indian black-crested baza, hawk eagle, Shaheen falcon, and the Ceylon frog mouth.
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary: Parabikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, within the Pallakad district, covers 258 sq. kms. The sanctuary borders the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu on the east and Nelliampathy Reserve on the north-west. The undulating terrain varies from evergreen hills, moist deciduous forest, grassy hills, swampy areas, teak and eucalyptus plantations. The abundant grass attracts elephant and gaur to this area. Parambikulam with nearly 200 species of birds has gained acceptance and a fine birding destination. The abundant wildlife here makes the journey here even more rewarding.
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Mammals of Kerala
Nilgiri Langur – The Nilgiri Langur is an old-word monkey found in the Western Ghats. It is glossy black with a yellowish brown head and typically lives in groups of 5-16. It is not exclusively confined to forest and may invade gardens and agricultural land.
Slender Loris – A cute nocturnal primate with striking wide eyes found only in southern India and Sri Lanka. The Slender Loris has the same secretive and nocturnal habits as the Slow Loris, but it is not confined to dense forest, and is found equally in open tree jungle. It sleeps by day, hidden among foliage or in a hole or crevice, and starts its rambles at dusk.
Small Indian Civet – The Malabar Civet, which has a boradly cat-like appearance, was once very common in the coastal districts of Malabar and Travancore, living on the wooded plains and the adjoining hill slopes, but now is scarcely seen and appears to be nearing extinction.
Striped Hyena - The hyena, an intelligent and opportunistic feeder, is is found in abundance in open country, especially where low hills and ravines offer convenient holes and caves for shelter. The hyena has a dog-like build with massive head and upper body, strong jaw and weak hindquarters.
Jackal - The jackal’s long-drawn, eerie howling at dusk or just before dawn is perhaps more familiar to most people than the animal itself. Its nearest wild relative is the wolf, but the jackal is smaller in build and meaner in aspect. The jackal tends to hunt alone or in a pair, except when scavenging larger animals.
Indian Fox - This is the common fox of the Indian plains and is a slender-limbed animal, smaller and slimmer in build than the Red Fox. The Indian Fox keeps to open country and rarely enters forests. It is common in the waste and scrub of the desert zone. Many live in cultivated lands, bordering irrigation channels.
Sloth Bear - The sloth bear leads a reclusive life in India’s forests., favouring forest or rocky outcrops which offer protection from humans, hot weather and the rains. They come out shortly before sunset, hunt for food all night, and retire in the morning.
Flying Fox - The large size of this bat makes it easily identifiable. Head is usually reddish brown with a darker, sometimes blackish, snout. The largest of Indian bats, the Flying Fox is usually seen flying with slow wing beats at dusk and roosts during the day in large, noisy, squabbling colonies on trees, often in the midst of busy towns and villages. Creatures of habit, the bats usually leave the roost within half an hour of sunset, flying the same route regularly in single file for considerable distances.
Indian Giant Squirrel – Giant Squirrels live only in forests and keep to the summits of the higher trees and seldom, if ever come to ground. They move from tree to tree taking amazing leaps with limbs outspread, covering as much as 20ft in a single bound. By day, it is not unusual to see one of these squirrels sleeping spread-eagled on a branch with its long tail drooping over the side.
Nilgiri Tahr – The endangered Nilgiri Tahr is a near relative of the Himalayan species of mountain goat. These stocky goats with short, coarse fur and a bristly mane, gather in mountain grassland of the south-western Ghats. Their population has grown from as few as a couple of hundred a century ago to roughly 2,000.
Sambar – This is the typical forest deer of south-eastern Asia and has a coarse and shaggy coat, much of which is shed in hot weather. Sambar is found on forested hill-sides and near cultivation. Sambar take to water readily and swim with body submerged with only the face and the antlers showing above the surface.
Indian Elephant - The Indian Elephant is one four sub-species of the Asian elephant and is much smaller than the African Elephant. Some males will have tusks, but females do not develop tusks like its African cousin. Behaviour is like the African elephant where a herd is lead by a matriarch which is always an older female. Mature males will not be tolerated within the herd and only during mating season are males seen near a herd. Elephants are revered in Kerala and play a vital role during temple festivals. Wild elephants can be seen in the forests of central and northern Kerala.
Tiger – One of the largest of the `big cats’, the Tiger is an endangered species found in South East Asia with India having the greatest number of tigers in the wild which is estimated at about 1,400. With the aim of conserving the tiger population, the Indian government established `Project Tiger’ in 1973 which saw the creation of several tiger reserves. Tigers are rarely seen in the jungles of Kerala, but they can occasionally be heard hunting at night. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary offers casual or more adventurous tiger treks with expert guides.
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