National Parks in Kerala
This article contains brief information on Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park, and Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, India.
Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park is spread over an area of 97 sq. km. It is located in the Idukki district of Kerala in India.
The park has sub-tropical hill forests. The forests bear broad leaves trees and tall grasses. Teak is the dominant species in these forests.
The important fauna are tiger, elephant, tiger, leopard, nilgai, Nilgiri tahr, barking deer, langur, python etc. The birds among hosts of others are jungle fowls, imperial pigeons, hornbills and pea fowls.
October to April is best months for visiting the park.
Silent Valley National Park
Silent Valley National Park is located in the district of Palakkad district of Kerala. It is spread over an area of 234 sq. km.
The park falls in the tropical region. The forests here are moist evergreen, moist semi-green and moist deciduous. Teak is found in plenty. Being close to the sea and falling in the heavy rainfall area the park is covered with thick and green vegetation of diverse tree species.
The fauna found in this park are tiger, elephant, leopard, bear, langur, lion tailed macaque, Malabar civet, etc. The reptiles are python, crocodile, monitor lizard etc. A large number of bird species are found here which include partridges, pigeons, quails, parrots, jungle fowls and woodpeckers.
The suitable period for visiting the park is between October and April.
Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 305 sq. km. Periyar River flows through this park and hence named after it.
Within this park there is a large lake measuring 26 sq. km.
This park is in the tropical region and has monsoon climate. It is covered with thick evergreen, semi-evergreen and most deciduous forests. As this is an area receiving heavy rainfall, its forests are always lush-green with diverse vegetation. It is estimated that this biodiversity rich area harbors approximately 1000 species of flora and fauna. The tree crop of the park is interspersed with grasslands on the upper slopes. These thick forests and rich grasslands provide ideal habitat for a variety of faunal species.
The park is famous for its very large elephant population. This park is also a tiger reserve under Project Tiger. Hence special attention is being paid to the conservation of tigers. The number of tigers estimated is more than 24. The other wildlife species found here are panther, leopard, gaur, sambar, chital, barking deer, langur, pig, wild dogs, sloth bear, Malabar squirrel, jungle cat, macaque and small Indian civet. Bird-life is very rich which include great kingfishers, Indian hornbills, darters, pigeons, quails, partridges, egrets, herons etc.
There are observation towers in the park to view the wildlife and scenic beauty of the area.
