WILDLIFE OF KERALA

Periyar National Park - Located in Thekkady, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary with rich bio-diversity is the natural habitat to Wild Pigs, Gaur, Sambar, rare lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri Langur, Gee's Golden Langur, Common Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Indian Wild Dog, Nilgiri Tahr, Tiger and Elephant. The best time to Visit Periyar is from October to June and boat cruise, elephant safari and jeep safari are the best ways to explore the wildlife sanctuary. Periyar Lake, Kumily, Mangla Devi Temple and Pullumedu are the best tourist places to visit near Periyar.

Eravikulam National Park - Also known as the land of Neelakurunji, a flower that blooms once in 12 years, is abundantly found here. The Eravikulam national park is also the home to the rare and endangered species, Nilgiri Tahr. Apart from this, other fauna includes Nilgiri marten, ruddy mongoose, small clawed otter, dusky striped squirrel, elephant, Nilgiri langur, a rare tiger or leopard and Nilgiri wood pigeon.Microtropisramiflora, Pittosporumtetraspermum, Actinodaphnebourdilloni, Eupatorium adenophorum, ChrysopogonZelanieus, StrobilanthusKunthianus (NeelaKurinji), Sysygiumaronottianum, Tripogenbromodes, Eulaliaphaeothrix, Arundinellafuscata, Cyanotis Species, etc. are the treasury of the rich flora.Some interesting spots at Eravikulam National Park are Anamudi Peak, Attukad Waterfalls, Echo Point, Lakkom Waterfalls and Forest Rose Garden.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary - Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is the natural habitat of Panthers, Indian Elephants, Spotted deer, Tigers, Gaur, Common langur, Sambar Deer, Crocodile, Bonnet Macaque, GarraMullya minnows, Hanuman monkey, Butterflies, Nilgiri Tahr, etc. The favourable time to visit Chinnar is between December to April. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary boasts the presence of wet grasslands, thorny scrub forests, dry deciduous forests, and shola grasslands, along with the rare species of acacia leucophloea, neelakurinji, arabica, elaeocarpusrecurvatus, santalum album, etc.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary - October to February is the ideal time to visit the second-largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is categorised into two sections, namely Tholpetty and Muthanga. The Asian Elephants, Vultures and Tigers are the flagship species of the sanctuary. Along with them Leopards, Leopard cats, Jungle Cats, Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Wild dogs, Gaur, Sloth bears, Indian pangolin, Wild boar, Stripe-necked mongoose and other mammals are part of the fauna. Edakkal Caves, Lakkidi View Point, BanasuraSagar Dam, Soocgipara Waterfalls, etc are the tourist attractions in close proximity to Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

Silent Valley National Park - The national park is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, located in the Kundalli Hills of the Western Ghats. Elephants, lion-tailed macaques and tigers are the predominant residents of the wildlife sanctuaries, and the verdant hills and several rivers meandering through it provide a unique geographical identity to Silent Valley. September to March is the best time to pay a visit to the national park. Palakkad Fort, Nelliampathy Hill Station, Malampuzha Dam and Fantasy Park are the places of interest near Silent Valley National Park.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary - Stationed on the banks of Vembanad Lake and therefore also addressed as Vembanad Bird Sanctuary, the dense foliage of Kottayam offers a unique experience of bird watching. The bird sanctuary is the abode of a wide range of rare birds both native and migratory. November to February is the most suitable time to visit the place to watch the crowd of migratory birds from all over the globe. Waterfowl, water ducks, cuckoo, Siberian Cranes, owls, teal, larks, parrots, wood beetles and flycatchers are the commonly spotted avifauna in Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.