Periyar wildlife sanctuary

The sanctuary is in Thekkady on the banks of the 100 years old artificial lake- Periyar lake. The area is protected by the government and is in between the Idukki and Pathanamthitta localities of Kerala. The place shares its boundaries with Tamil Nadu, and the region is surrounded by Cardamom and Pandhalam hills in the background. Mountains surround the north, and east boundaries of the Sanctuary and the west part is enclosed by a plateau which steeps down to the river Pamba.

The Sanctuary covers 357 square miles of land, and there are two main rivers, Pamba and Periyar running through the jungles which helps flora and fauna to blossom in this region. The place attracts many tourists annually for safari, rafting and other activities.

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Geographical landscape of the national park

The geographical landscape of the Sanctuary includes tropical and deciduous forests and majestic landscapes. The geographical location of the Periyar Wildlife sanctuary is 76?57' and 77?25' in the longitudes 9?16' to 9?36'N in the latitudes. The altitude of the sanctuary can be marked from 100 meters to 2016 meters. The Sanctuary is full of an exotic collection of plant and animal kingdom. The place is the habitat of the endangered carnivore, Tigers.

The lake keeps the climate pleasant and fresh throughout the jungle.

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Nearby wildlife sanctuaries

There are many Sanctuaries near Periyar sanctuary. Some of them are Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, PepparaWildlife Sanctuary, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary and Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.

The sanctuary has a moderate climate throughout the year. The climate in Periyar is mild and ranges between 15C to 31C. The temperature goes highest in April and May, whereas the region experiences cold weather in December.The migratory birds and small animals can be spotted in the winter and tourists can go for boat cruises and rafting after rains. Rains are experienced from June itself. There is average rainfall in the Sanctuary till September. October to December also receives rains due to northeast monsoons.

The best time to visit Periyar Sanctuary is around December to March when there is no probability of rains, and the temperature is mild. The migratory birds, animals and butterflies are easy to spot in this season. Even the plants are blooming, and one may get to see a lot of species of flora. Photographers should visit the Sanctuary in this season.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its, animal and insect diversity. The Sanctuary was built with the intention to protect endangered animals like tigers and elephants. Other than, this place is home to many animals and migratory birds too.

Mammals

There are 35 major mammals in the sanctuary inclusive of tigers and elephants. The most commonly found mammals of the region are a white tiger, flying squirrel, sloth bear, jungle cat etc. Periyar has got about only 24 Bengal tigers here.

Birds

There is a vast number of species of birds found near the Periyar lake and even in the sanctuary. Some of the common birds to be spotted are Malabar grey hornbill, white-bellied blue flycatcher, Sunbird, Sri Lanka frogmouth, black-necked stork, spider hunter, Nilgiri wood pigeon, brahminy kite and others. New species like steppe gull and Grey-necked bunting are also spotted.

Reptiles

There are 45 species of reptiles found in the park which includes turtles, lizards and snakes majorly. Some of the known reptiles to be found are a striped coral snake, bi-coloured frog, Asian toad, Malabar gliding frog and others.

Butterfly

There are multiple species of butterflies found in the Periyar region. Periyar has got the most abundant butterfly of South India, popularly known as Southern birdwing. There are ample of butterflies found in Periyar like a lime butterfly, Travancore evening brown, Malabar tree nymph etc. other than butterflies; innumerable moths can also be seen here.

The natural vegetation in periyar

The natural vegetation of Periyar is quite diverse, and one can see varied flora all around the Sanctuary. There are deciduous forests and tropical rain forests present in the Sanctuary. It is astonishing that there are about 171 species of grasses to be found in the park. There are multiple species of flowers found like it has been found that 140 species of orchids are seen in Periyar. Other then flowers, one can easily witness mangoes, jamun, teak, bamboos, sandalwood, sacred fig and other plantations in Periyar. Medicinal plants are also found in abundance in the park. The majority of grasslands in the area are covered with elephant grass covers. A particular sect is used as an agricultural region which has got tea, coffee and cardamom plantations.