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Periyar National Park
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Situated within the confines
of the Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of
Kerala, Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of
the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. The park
covers 778 sq km. The picturesque lake in the heart of the
sanctuary was originally 26 sq km but now spans an area of
55 sq km. This perennial source of water, which initially
led to the submersion of large tracts of forestland,
slowly attracted wild animals. It eventually resulted in
the adjoining forests being granted protection by the
Maharajah of Travancore.
Periyar (also Thekkady) is a park where one can witness
playful pachyderms, whose population is currently around
800. The population of tigers is also increasing
appreciably. The terrain ranges from hilly to flat
grassland areas at the edges of the lakes. The vegetation
is of moist deciduous type.
The months of March and April constitute the driest part
of the year because of which the animals spend a lot of
time near the lake. Even the tiger may be spotted
approaching the waters. Animals may be seen from
motorboats on the lake or from watch-towers set up in the
Park.
One can swim in the lake or get permits for angling that
are easily available from the forest Officer in Thekkady.
Boat rides on the lake are definitely a must, and motor
launches are available throughout the day from 6 am to 4
pm. Exhilarating treks through the forest to the temple of
Mangla Devi can also be organised. Lectures on wildlife
preservation are organized regularly at the park and these
can be of help in understanding the wild creatures and
their environment. Late afternoon is just right for
another walk down the lakeside. The evening walk along the
lake is always tinged with forebodings of danger combined
with exhilaration at being in such a beautiful place.
Flora:
The flora here is composed mainly of marshy grasslands.
The forests are a mixture of grasslands, fire-resistant
low-growth vegetation, deciduous forests, semi-evergreens,
and tropical evergreens. It is good to be cautious of the
blood-sucking leeches that are found in plenty here.
Fauna:
Periyar and elephants are synonymous and one cannot be
thought of without the other. Herds of playful wild
elephants have made Periyar Lake their favourite haunt.
The Indian female elephants do not possess tusks like
their African relatives. They are also not as swarthy as
their African counterparts.
Other inhabitant include the leopard, wild dog, barking
deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet
macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian
bison), wild boar, and sloth bear. There are approximately
40 tigers in the area as per the latest census. The
tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild
goat), are elusive creatures.
Avifauna:
Some 260 species of birds, of which one-third are migrants
and make Periyar their home from September to March. These
include Malabar Grey hornbill, rufus babbler, white-necked
storks, emerald dove, darters, cormorants, ibises, grey
herons, mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons,
kingfishers, kites, ospreys, thrushes, and an appreciable
number of blue-winged parakeets.
There are about 160 species of butterflies including
southern bird wing and the endangered Travancore evening
brown.
Bets time to visit:
September to March.
Safari timings:
Park timings are 0600 hr to 1800 hr.
The only entry point to the park is through Thekkady
village (4 km from Kumily). The starting point is the
boathouse (2 km from entry gate), from where all treks,
boat rides and walks begin. Boat rides on the Periyar lake
provide you with the best chance of observing herds of
elephants and other animals. Boat rides are from 0700 to
1100 hr & 1400 to 1600 hr.
Go there for:
Elephant, gaur, tiger, leopard and niligiri langur.
How to reach:
by road:
The Park is well connected to the state capital
Thiruvananthapuram (271 km). From Cochin, take the NH49 to
Thripunithara. From there, state highway 15 will take you
to Ettumanur via Keecherry, Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom.
Take the SH1 to Kottayam and finally NH 220 to Thekkady
via Kanjirappally, Peermade, Vandiperiyar and Kumily.
by rail:
The nearest major rail junction is Kottayam (119km/2hr),
connected to Delhi through the Kerala Exp. (11:30, Daily);
to Mumbai through Kanyakumari Exp. (15:45, Daily) ;to
Bangalore through Kanyakumari Exp. (22:00, Daily) and
Chennai through Trivandrum Mail (20:00) & Trivandrum Exp.
(16:15).
by air:
The park is accessible from Kochi International Airport
(190km/4hr). Daily flights from Trivandrum, Bangalore,
Mumbai, Delhi, Kozhikode and Chennai. Taxis available from
here to Thekkady.
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© 2008, Banjara Camps & Retreats Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. All rights reserved.
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