|
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Thekkady Wildlife Sanctaury)
How to Reach Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
By Air
Kochi (Cochin) at 200-kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at140-kms are the nearest airports from Periyar.
By Rail
Kottayam at 114-kms is the nearest railhead from Periyar.
By Road
Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is well served by both state and private buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam and Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Kumily (4 km), Madurai (140 km), Cochin or Kochi (200 km), Kottayam (114 km), Ernakulam.
latitude 11°50' -11° 52'
longitude 75° 49' -75° 57'
Major Attractions : Elephants, Tiger, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur.
Area Covered : 777 sq-km.
Best time to visit : From the months of October and June.
Thekkady, located in central Kerala, is a popular hill station and a wildlife centre. This town, which is an important plantation centre, conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice scented plantations.
The Periyar National Park was slated under the Project Tiger in the year 1972. The Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is situated on an area of 777 square kilometers in the Cardamom hills region of the Western Ghats the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the largest and most frequented wildlife reserves in India.
Periyar wildlife sanctuary in Kerala has a scenic lake at the heart of the sanctuary. Formed with the building of a dam in 1895, this reservoir runs around the contours of the wooded hills, providing water to the local wildlife through out the year. Though Periyar Kerala is a Tiger Reserve, tourists visit this place to view the Indian elephants in the act of sprinkling water and playfulness by the Periyar lake.
The Ecological System in the Periyar National Park
The physiology of the Periyar National Park mainly comprises of the western ghat hills in various shapes and sizes. These thickly wooded hills are dominated by water bodies, vast grasslands and even thicker forest areas. The densely forested valleys are abound in wild vegetation and animal life. Other than the river Periyar, the park and main lake located in the centre of the park are watered by two other rivers, the Azhutha and the Mullayar.
Flora
The evergreen forests have lofty tree and the canopy is closed. Some of the common dominant trees are Vateria indica (Vellapine), Dipterocarpus indicus (Kalpine), Cullani excelsa (Karayani), Plaquium ellipticum (Palai) etc. Semi-evergreen forests hold a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees. Artocarpus hirsuta (Aini), Salmalia malabarica (Elavu), Hopea parviflora (Thampakam), Tetrameles nudiflora (Vellacheeni) etc., dominate in this type. Moist deciduous forests occur interspersed with grasslands around the lake and along the slopes on the north. Terminalia species (Maruthy) dominate. Teak, Rose wood, Pterocarpus (Venga) etc also exist.
Grasslands occur around the lake and on the islets. There is scattered growth of firehardy species like Anogeissus latifolia (Mazhukanjiram), Careya arborea (Pezhe), Emblica officianalis (Nelli) etc.The main species of grass are elephant grass (Cympopogon species), Saceharum etc which are commonly grazed by elephant, gaur and sambar.
Fauna
The varied habitat naturally supports a variety of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fishes. Tiger, panther and wild dog, elephant, gaur, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr langur, lion tailed macaque, otter, Malabar gaint squirrel, civets etc. are generally sighted.There are several kinds of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes including the king cobra. Tortoise may often be seen asking on rocks and tree-trunks by the lake. The Masheer, the most famous game fish of India exists in large numbers.The common aquatic birds are the Indian darter, little cormorant kingfisher, and the black-necked stork, the great Indian hornbill, peafowl, brahminy kite and black winged kite.Effective measures to eliminate grazing, prevent poaching and encourage tourism have been taken. Eco development is also a thrust area.
Trips in the Periyar Wildlife Santuary
Boat cruises make the best option to check out the wilds of Periyar Sanctuary, as the Periyar lake presents an excellent boating spot for tourists today. Although it is uneasy to see many animals from the boats, still you come across a family of Elephants, Wild Boar, and Sambar Deer by the water's edge.
|
