Wildlife in Kerala
The Western Ghats on its east and the Malabar Coast on its west, adorned with the emerald backwaters and exotic spice plantations, Kerala is blessed with a riotous variety of flora and fauna. Topped up with indigenous traditional cultural practices and art forms, Kerala is increasingly gaining momentum as a popular tourist destination all over the world. Showered with an eternal sunshine, Kerala- God's own country is a nature lovers' paradise. The lush tropical evergreen rain forests still largely miraculously unspoiled in Kerala, support a rich array of land, marine and avian wildlife.
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Located at the Devikulam taluk of the Idukki district, Chinnar received the status of a sanctuary in 1984. Stretching over an area of 90 sq. km Chinnar is home to the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel. Owing to its position on the rain shadow slopes of the Western Ghats, Chinnar just about 48 days of rain during the Northeast monsoon in October November.
Eravikulam National Park
Close to Chinnar in the Idukki district, Eravikulam became a national park in 1978. Home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr , a mountain goat, Eravikulam is spread over 97 sq. km area. Heavy rains fall here during monsoon making the surrounding misty hills a feast for the eyes.
Periyar National Park
Situated at Thekkady along the Periyar Lake and river, it is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India. Boat cruises on the lake provide exciting game watching opportunity making Periyar a must see on the wildlife map of Kerala.
Silent Valley National Park
In the Palakkad district of Kerala, Silent Valley is perhaps the last stretch on genuinely unspoiled rain forest. A prized site for environmental research and conservation, it forms the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Silent valley made its way to the headlines over the construction of a dam on Kunti River, threatening to disturb the biodiversity of the region. It was declared a national park in 1980.
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