Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary

 

 Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, about 19 km from Kozhikode and 7 km from Beypore Port on the Arabian Sea, Calicut district, north Kerala.The bird sanctuary is spread over a cluster of islands in a scenic area surrounded by hillocks where the Kadalundi river flows into the Arabian Sea. This virgin land is the abode of a hundred species of native birds and Over 60 varieties of migratory birds that flock here during February-March.these include terns, gulls, herons, sandpipers and coramonts. Notable species are whimbrls and.  brahminy kites .A hillock nearby, 200 m above sea level, offers a splendid view of the river mouth and the sea. Kadalundi is also known for its wide of fish, mussels and crabs.

How to Reach: Nearest Railway Station: Kozhikode, about 19 kms from Kadalundi
Nearest Airport: Karipur International Airport, about 23 kms from Kozhikode

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary

A tropical evergreen forest, a stone's throw from the Pallakad gap in the southern Western Ghats, this part of Tamil Nadu is arguably its most biodiversity-rich. More popularly referred to as the Anamalais (elephant mountain), it has been officially christened the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. The Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala (like the Anamalais) is mountainous, wildlife-rich and fascinating almost beyond description. Famous for its three reservoirs – Peruvaripallam (2.89 sq. km.), Thunakadavu (4.33 sq. km.) and Parambikulam (21.22 sq. km.), the forests epitomise the counsel of naturalists that "protecting forests protects water sources." A visit to the Anamalais-Parambikulam rainforest, populated by elephants, tigers and a wide variety of bird species, is an exhilarating and unique experience. These forests are some of the most biodiversity-rich in India. Top Slip, a popular destination, is a birdwatcher's paradise. Karian Shola is a highly recommended tourist destination which begins at Top Slip and moves through the semi-evergreen forest to a mountain top where one has a 360 degree view of the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. Another place to visit in the Anamalais is the Akamalai Shola (near Valparai) which is a good place to look for shola birds. The dense hilly terrain of the Anamalais has a high density of herbivores and a low density of carnivores. The Nature Information Centre and the Annapady area are definitely worth a visit. Karimala Gopuram is the tallest peak (1,438 m.) in the sanctuary. The mountainous terrain of Parambikulam harbours over 2,000 species of plants.

Parambikulam’s animal species include many of India’s most prominent mammals: tigers, leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, elephants, wild boar, barking deer, spotted deer, langurs and macaques. Parambikulam is also home to Kerala’s largest population of gaur. Besides these, civet, chevrotain, pangolin, crocodile, jungle cat, porcupine and some 140 species of birds are found in the sanctuary. Although the larger cats are few and far between, gaur, monkeys and deer are fairly common in the sanctuary.

Entry into the sanctuary is allowed from 7:00am till 6:00pm in the evening and no vehicles can leave the park after 6:30pm.

How to Reach:

Nearest Railway Station : Coimbatore and Palakkad (107 km.)

Nearest Airport : Cochin International Airport and Coimbatore airport

The Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary

The Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is located on 345 square kilometers of densely forested land.This is an ideal destination to watch herds of elephants, the sanctuary is contiguous with the protected area of the Nagarhole National Park and the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu.

The Muthanga National Park is a popular wildlife sanctuary located on the Kerala hills and offers a natural habitat to a large number of wild animals including Gaur, sloth bears, sambhar, elephants, reptiles, tigers, spotted deer, monkeys, panthers, jungle cats, civet cats, wild dogs, bison, lizards, bears, wild pigs, leopards  etc

Birds at the Muthanga National Park promise to enchant you and keep you thoroughly entertained as you course the nature trails and look to spot wildlife on your holiday tours to this part of Kerala, South India. Among the commonly spotted birds at the Muthanga national Park in Kerala, South India some which deserve a special mention are the Malabar Grey Hornbill, peacocks, owls, woodpeckers, cuckoos, jungle fowl, babblers, herons, egrets, water ducks, bulbuls, peafowl, shrikes, eagles, cormorants, wagtails, rollers, pheasants, snipes and a large variety of other birds. Be amazed at the colorful assembly of good-looking birds at the Muthanga National Park in Kerala, South India and enjoy the singing of these birds as you spot and identify them to your delight with the help of a bird watching guide.

The vegetation at the Muthanga National Park in Kerala, South India is simply exotic. A profusion of herbal and medicinal vegetation grows wild all over the Muthanga national Park that is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. 

The perfect time to go on wildlife tours to the flourishing Muthanga National Park in Kerala, South India is during the months of June to October. There can be few experiences so gratifying as to take a tour to Muthanga National Park, where you can spot tigers very frequently. The sanctuary has one of the largest populations of elephants in India.

How to Reach:

Nearest Railway Station : Kozhikode, about 97 kms by road from Sulthan Bathery

Nearest Airport : Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode, nearly 120 kms from Sulthan Bathery

Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary

Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Kerala, India. The Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary extends over the talukas of Thodupuzha and Udumpanchola in Idukki district. It is at a distance of about 40 Kms from Thodupuzha in Kerela, a place, which has contributed many well known personalities to the development of India as well as from where the famous river of Thodupuzha flows. The Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, India is famous for Indian elephants, which are becoming extinct due to poaching and other factors that are causing the deaths of these elephants. Hence it is also called as the Idukki Elephant sanctuary. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, India has an area of about 77 sq. km. and is somewhat above the normal sea level. Its altitude ranges from 450m to 758m above sea level.

Like many other wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala, this one too is rich in flora and fauna. West coast tropical evergreen forests, semi evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, hill sholas, and grasslands make up for the forest type of this sanctuary. Some of the faunal life that can be spotted here are sambars, elephants, bison, deer, wild dogs, tigers, jungle cats, and wild boars. Besides, different species of snakes including cobra, viper, kraits, and numerous non-poisonous reptiles are also sighted here. Among the birds, mynah, jungle fowl, black bulbul, laughing thrush, peafowl, woodpecker, and kingfisher constitute the major attractions.

Kizhakkilachimala Lake is one of the artificial or man-made lakes in this area. It is one of the tourist attractions and just adds to the beauty of the sanctuary. The vegetation at this sanctuary is very dense. These forests tropical evergreen forests, tropical semi-evergreen forests, meadows and leaf shedding forests. These different types of forests provide some of the most rare trees, which have some medicinal value. This list includes white pine, kuntherekkapine, vayana, bhadraksham, pali, cheeni, rosewood and meadows of rolling grass.

 One may visit this sanctuary at anytime of the year though the best time is during the Winter season and the initial summer season, which include the months from December to April.The sanctuary receives heavy rainfall, with an average annual shower of about 3800 mm. The temperature of this spectacular sanctuary varies from 13 0C to 29 0C with March and April being the hottest period of the year. Apart from exploring the natural beauty of the sanctuary, visitors can also marvel at the manmade creation known as Idukki Arch Dam that stands tall nearby. At a height of 167.68 meters, this dam is the 14th largest arch dam in Asia.

How  to reach

Nearest Railway Station: Kottayam (120kms)

Nearest Airport : cochin international airport (120kms)

The Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley National Park is a unique preserve of natural rainforests. Within an area of 237. 52 Sq.km, it houses a rich mosaic of varied habitats. Out of these springs the amazing variety of life forms some of them endemic to the Western Ghats. The Valley exudes a quite grandeur, a mystery half revealed and half concealed that is part of a story older than mankind, for this rainforest probably dates back to 50 million years. Silently she beckons us to witness the marvelous exuberance of life that expresses itself in an incredible chaos of plants and animals and birds and insects. At the heart of her many songs is a still, deep silence which only those who tread softly and wait patiently may learn to hear. Located in the Nilgiri Mountain ranges, Silent Valley National Park is a wildlife paradise and boasts of lush green landscape and several wildlife species.

Along with Mukhurti National Park and Karimpuzha National Park, Silent Valley National Park forms the core of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Explored in 1847 by Robert Wight, the park remains one of the last undisturbed territories of south Western Ghats montane rainforests and tropical moist evergreen forests in the country.Environmentalists saved the rich ecological beauty of the National Park from destruction by protesting against the development of a hydroelectric power plant in the valley during 1970’s. On November 15, 1984, the area of the reserved forest was declared as a National Park.

The national park hosts over 1600 species of flora comprising mainly of evergreen and montane grasslands and over 858 species of fauna that includes 34 species of animals and about 500 species of butterflies and moths. It is also an excellent location for birdwatchers as the park is home to over 292 species of birds that include Nilgiri wood pigeon, blue winged parakeet, grey headed bulbul, white bellied blue flycatcher, broad tailed grass wabler, Nilgiri pipit, etc.The lion tailed macaque is the most popular attraction in Silent Valley National Park. Nilgiri langur, mouse deer, gaur, fishing cat, stripe necked mongoose, panther, etc. are some of the other exotic wildlife species found in the park.Snake lovers, if they are lucky, can be treated to the sight of cobra, King cobra, viper, rat snake and many other species of the slithery reptile.

 The beautiful Kunthi River which descends from an altitude of above 2000 feet from the Nilgiris passes through the national park. It is home to 13 species of fishes.Located at altitude ranging from 658 to 2383 metres and surrounded by high mountains, Silent Valley National Park enjoys salubrious climate.

How to Reach:

Nearest Railway Station : Palakkad, about 80 kms away

Nearest Airport : Coimbatore (in neighbouring Tamilnadu State), about 55 kms away

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the district of Idukki, Kerala. The sanctuary was established in the year 1984 and covers an area of around 90sq.kms. The place receives a much lesser rainfall as it is located in the rain shadow area of Western Ghats. The beautiful rocks along with the vegetation covers lend an enchanting look to the ambience. The beauty  of the sanctuary  is magnified with  the peaks Nandala Malai , Kottakombu Malai , Vellaikkal malai and Viriyoottu malai  .It is not be noted that the Anamudi Peak which is the highest peak in South India is situated adjacent to Chinnar sanctuary , in Eravikulam National park . The main rivers flowing through the place are Chinnar  and Pambar .Chinnar river originates from Kumari malai and joins Amaravati river in Tamil nadu ,where Anaimudi hills are the originating  place of pamabar river .The rivers are perennial and these rivers flows eastwards .The river Kabani , and Bhawani are the other rivers in Kerala  which flows towards east .The Pamabar river and Chinnar river meets at Koottar .The Thoovanam waterfalls is another attraction of Pambar river .This site attracts masses and its been a major attraction of this area.

Flora & Fauna

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is enriched with a vast cover of vegetation that includes the thorny scrub forests, dry deciduous forest, wet grasslands and high sholas. Some of the common species of flora found here are acacia leucofolia (velvelam), strobilanthus kunthianus (neelakurinji), santalum album (chandanam), arabica (karivelam), elaeocarpus recurvatus (bhadraksham) etc. The place also abounds in wide array of animals like sambar, little cormorants, bonnet macaques, tigers, gaur, spotted deer, spectacled cobras, darters, kraits and many more. Other major fish species available are Galla mullya minnows , Giant danio , and river Carp baril .White bison is also been spotted in Chinnar wild life sanctuary 3. . Marayoor sandalwood forest  situated here is very famous .Acacia leucofolia , Acacia Arabica , Optunia strica are the main plants seen here which can even survives lack of water .The forest type is mainly deciduous , and famous for medicinal plants .Even endangered trees and reported to be in the forest.  Different types of trees such as the unique thorny scrub forest with Xerophytic species are visible. Other than this the flora that can be seen in this Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala are dry deciduous forest, thorny scrub forests, high sholas and wet grasslands.

Major Attractions:

Gizzled Giant Squirrel: The riverine forests along with Chinnar and Pambar support a large number of highly endangered Grizzled Giant Squirrels. The sanctuary plays host to the second largest population of Grizzled Giant Squirrels in the world.

Thoovanam Waterfalls: Deep within the sanctuary, the spectacular Thoovanam waterfalls is located. The river Pambar flows eastwards through the sanctuary and plummets down from a great height on the river Chinnar. Indian Wildlife Department permit tourists to visit the falls as part of wildlife tourism.

Watch Tower: Standing on the lofty watchtower, one can have a panoramic view of the entire park and the wildlife beauties, adjoining jungles in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu and also the magnificent mountains far away.

River trekking,Trekking ,Nature trail to the watch tower,Trek to Thoovanam falls,Interpretation activities and medicinal Garden,Tree house at Chinnar,Machans at Koottar,Karakkad and Champakkad,Trekking and camping at Vasyappara  are the main activities for the visitors.

Best Time to Visit: December to April.

Sanctuary timings are from 7 AM to 5 PM.

It’s an elephant country, so it is better to avoid walking or driving around the road, especially in the night.

One can hire a guide from the Eco development committee situated next to the Chinnar forest check post.

How to reach

Nearest railway station: Aluva and Pollachi

Nearest airport: Cochin international airport airport