Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
Best time to visit :
September to May
Nearest Airport : Mudhrai, Tamil Nadu (145km)
Nearest Railway Station : Kottayam (114km)
Nearest Town : Kumily (4km)
¤ The Exquisite Location of
The Park
The Periyar Wildlife National Park covers an area of 77,700ha of
cardamom hill ranges in the Idduki District. The tourist zone of the
Periyar National Park is close to the picturesque little town of
Kumily,
with its exotic and colourful spice market. Thanks to the Maharaja of
Travancore, Periyar was given the status of a reserve forest way back
in 1934. In the year 1895, a part of the forest was dammed to protect
the catchment area of the Periyar River.
The result was the beautiful 26sq km Periyar Lake, dotted with
islands and tree stumps. The formalities for declaring the core area
of the National Park as a National Park, are in the process of being
met.
 ¤
Flaura and Fauna
The Periyar National Park is a mix of tropical evergreen and
semi-evergreen forest, which supports a wide variety of plant and
animal species.
According to the forest department, the National Park has about 40
tigers, 20 leopards, 900 elephants and 280 gaur.
The reserve also has a population of the Lion-tailed macaque, the
Nilgiri langur, the Malabar giant squirrel, porcupine, wild dog, sloth
bear, jungle cat, sambar, palm civet, wild boar and jackal.
Approximately 180 species of birds are said to have been spotted in
the National Park, with a relatively high spotting of the rare Great
Indian Hornbill. Grey herons, kingfishers, egrets, darters, coots,
fish-owls, grackles and cormorants can be commonly seen around the
lake, so do carry your binoculars for the trip.
¤ The Great Attractions of Indian Hornbill
The Great Indian Hornbill is the king of the skies. As large as an
eagle, it can devour sizeable preys in flight. It is easily
distinguishable by its black wings with two white bands on the ends of
the wingspan, and an enormous yellow bill. The Great Indian Hornbill
mates for life.
Year after year, the pair generally returns to its home, which it
makes in the hollow of trees, preferably fig. Hornbills are slow
breeders and generally raise only one young at a time. The male
hornbill is quite a knight, and feeds the pregnant female, and then
the young for over 3 months.
¤ Best Time To Visit
The ideal time to visit Periyar National Park, is between the months
of February and May. During this time of the year, the animals of the
forest come to the lake for water as the water holes in the forest dry
up. Groups of elephants playing and swimming in the shimmering lake,
is not an altogether uncommon sight. Being in a motorboat can be
rather reassuring.
Major Circuits
Major Tour Packages To Kerala
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