Travel Agency India

Kerala wakes up to some festival or the other every day of the year and Keralites are addicted to the festivals. In short ‘ Keralisation’ of the festivals of different communities is the unique feature of Kerala life.





 

The Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is spread in an area of 55 sq.kms and located on the western slopes of the Western Ghats. This wildlife sanctuary is the northern most wildlife sanctuary of Kerala, established in the year 1984. The sanctuary borders the Central State Farm at Aralam.
The prime attractions of the place are the Forest coast tropical evergreen and west coast semi evergreen forests. There are about 490 hectares of teak and eucalyptus plantations within the forest area.
The common trees found in the semi evergreen areas of the sanctuary are Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Hopea parviflora, Largestroemia lanceolata, Xyliaxylocarpa, Mallotus, and Philippinensis. One can find a variety of animals and birds in the Western Ghats with different kinds of deer, boar, elephant, and bison. You can also sight Leopard, jungle cat and various types of squirrels at the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary comes under the Wayanad Division with headquarters at Sultan Bathery. The sanctuary is under the direct charge of an Assistant Wildlife whose office is at Chathiroor near Irutti.

Located at Devikulam taluk of Idukki district Kerala, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is a well-known reserve that extends over an area of over 90 sq km. Recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1984, it lies in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. As a result, Chinnar gets only about 48 rainy days in a year during the months of October and November when Northeast monsoons are at work.

Apart from being the habitat of the endangered giant grizzled squirrel in India, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to tigers, elephant, bonnet macaques, gaur, Kraits, spotted deer, spectacled cobras, sambar, turtles, vipers, little cormorants, darters and black eagles. The place is also ideal for boating and trekking.

The sanctuary abounds in a variety of trees, including the unique thorny scrub forest with Xerophytic species. The flora of the sanctuary comprises dry deciduous forest, thorny scrub forests, high sholas and wet grasslands. It is, indeed, a reservoir of tranquil greenery ensconced the verdant valley. Among the species of flora include Acacia arabica (Karivelam), Acacia leucofolia (Velvelam), Santalum album (Chandanam), Anogeissuslatifolia (Mazhukanjiram), Elaeocarpus recurvatus (Bhadraksham) and Strobilanthus kunthianus (Neelakurinji).

The rippling topography with breathtaking spectacle of craggy rocks adds to the scenic grandeur of the sanctuary. Best Season to visit the sanctuary is from December to April. As far as accommodation is concerned, private lodges are available at Marayoor, Munnar and Udumalpetta. You can also find accommodation in the government guesthouses at Munnar and Udumalpetta.
 

Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is a sanctuary set up for the preservation of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. The park has the largest known population of Tahr's existing in the world and also shelters Atlas Moth, Elephants, Sambhar's, Gaurs, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri, Langur, Tigers and Leopards. Spread across an area of 97 sq. kms, the Park exhibits the breathtaking natural splendor of rolling grasslands and exotic flowers. Anamudi, the highest peak south of Himalayas, towers over the sanctuary in majestic pride.

The Eravikulam (15 kms from Munnar) is situated in the Devikulam Taluk of the Idukki District. The park lies along the high ranges of the western coast in the Munnar Forest Division of Idukki district in Kerala. It is situated on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the north where it extends as the Annamalai National Park. The mountains covered with the rolling grasslands and high level sholas is breathtakingly beautiful. This Park spread over an area of 97 sq. km, was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr also known as the Nilgiri Ibex.The Rajamala is the natural habitat of this rare mountain goat. Half the world population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragas hylocres) lives here. (Around 1317, according to the 1991 census). It was declared as a sanctuary in 1975. Considering the ecological, faunal, floral, geo-morphological and zoological significance, it was declared as a National Park in 1978. The Park is divided into 3 regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area which is in the Rajamala region. Trekking facilities are available here. Anamudi (2694 m), the highest peak, south of the Himalayas, is situated in the south of the Park.

Besides the Nilgiri tahr other important fauna are elephant, leopard, tiger, malabar civet, sambar, barking deer, nilgai, langur, phyhon etc. The birds found are imperial pigeon, grey jungle fowl etc.
 

The Neyyar reservoir is easily navigable and extends 9.06 sq. km. The vegetation varies from tropical wet evergreen to grasslands. The Agasthyakoodam hill, 1890 metres high, lies in the premises of the sanctuary. Elephants, gaur, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr, jungle cat, wild boar, Nilgiri langur etc. are seen. A crocodile rearing centre, deer farm and lion safari park are the main attractions

The vegetation varies from tropical wet evergreen to grasslands. The Agasthyarkoodam hill, 1890 metres high, lies in the premises of the sanctuary.
Declared as a sanctuary in 1958, it is the drainage basin for the Neyyar River and its tributaries - Mullayar and Kallar.
 

the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve has a picturesque lake at the heart of the sanctuary. his reservoir meanders around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a perennial source of water for the local wildlife.

Herds of elephant and sambar, gaur and wild pigs wander down to the lake-side and can be observed from the launches that cruise the lake. In March and April, during the driest period here, the animals spend a lot of time near the lake and the elephants can be seen bathing and swimming in the reservoir. A glimpse may be had even of the tiger during this season, as it comes to the water.
Among the unusual species found at Periyar are the flying lizard and the flying snake. With wings of orange or yellow, the flying lizard is seen as it glides from one tree to the other. The flying snake is also brilliantly coloured in yellow and black with a pattern of red rosettes.

Periyar also harbours the leopard, wild dog, barking deer and mouse deer. On the rocky outcrops along the lake, monitor lizards can be seen basking in the sun. Visitors who trek into the Park often see a python and sometimes even a king cobra.

The lake attracts birds like the darter, cormorant, grey heron and ibis and they are seen perched on the snags of dead wood that dot the lake. The great Malabar hornbill and grey hornbill are often seen flapping their ponderous way between trees.