One of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in India, Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve was established in the verdant stretches of Kerala in 1895 and declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. The Periyar Widlife Sanctuary covers an area of 777 sq km, out of which 360 sq km is under thick and dense evergreen forests. Surrounded by the dense forests, it is quite popular for the Periyar Lake.An ideal habitat for Indian Elephant, you can see this mighty herbivore living in accord with the ferocious carnivore - Tiger - in the national park. Whereas the wooded hills and the forest provide shelter to the resident animals, the Periyar Lake is the vast water resource, which quenches their thirst anytime and everytime.

THINGS TO DO IN THEKKADY/PERIYAR

Plantation tours: Tours cover cardamom, pepper, coffee and tea plantations, tea factories, tribal settlements and the surrounding hill regions.
Elephant Rides: The Forest Department, Thekkady offers facility for elephant rides through the jungle. Time: 1000 to 1700 hrs. Duration of a trip: 30 minutes.
Trekking: Main Trekking areas in Thekkady: *Kurisumala near Kumily* Pullumedu * Ottakathalamedu: 5 km from Kumily * grampi near VandiperiyarThe forest Department conducts daily treks from the boat landing station at Thekkady to the Nellikkampetty area and Manakkavala.

Boat cruises on the Periyar Lake:The forest Department and the Kerala Tourism development Corporation Ltd. conduct boating trips from Thekkady.

WILDLIFE POPULATION IN THE PERIYAR SANCTUARY
Flora: The Reserve is home to 1965 flowering plants including 171 species of grass and 143 species of orchids. The only South Indian conifer Podocarpus wallichianus and the rare orchid Habeneria periyancis also belong here.

Faunna: Mammals: 35 species including the wild elephant. gaur, sambar deer and wild boar can be sighted from the boats. The endangered lion tailed macaques are confined to the evergreen interiors. Bonnet macaques, Malabar giant squirrels, flying squirrels, tigers, jungle cats, sloth bears etc. are the other inhabitants.

Birds: There are over 265 species of birds here including migrants. Hornbills, storks, woodpeckers, kingfishers, raptors, cormorants, grackles and darters are a common sight.

 << PREVIOUS                          NEXT >>