Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Periyar Wildlife Park in Kerala is one of the most captivating wildlife parks not only in India but in the world. In 1895, the British undertook water resource management plans for the area and started work on a dam and an artificial lake under the auspices of Col. J. Pennycuick. The picturesque lake in the heart of the sanctuary was originally 26 sq km but now spans an area of 55 sq km, 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 Maharaja of Travancore. Post-1975 Periyar finds itself in the enviable position of being a national park as well as a protected tiger reserve. The terrain ranges from hilly to flat grassland areas at the edges of the lakes. The vegetation is of moist deciduous type.

Also known as Thekkady, Periyar Kerala is a veritable paradise of elephants. Tourists planning to travel to Periyar National Park in Kerala can witness playful pachyderms, whose population is currently around 800. These gentle giants in the wild have made Periyar Lake their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Scores of them can be witnessed bathing and swimming here. The Indian female elephants do not posses tusks like their African relatives. They are also not as swarthy as their African counterparts.

Other inhabitants of Periyar 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. The population of tigers is also increasing appreciably. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports. The tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are elusive creatures. To make your holidays in Periyar National Park more fruitful, an early morning visit, with luck on your side, could yield results.

Among the unusual species found at Periyar in Kerala are the flying lizard and the flying snake. With wings of orange or yellow, the flying lizard is seen as it glides from one tree to the other. The flying snake is also brilliantly coloured in yellow and black with a pattern of red rosettes. If you are planning your vacations in Kerala and looking forward to have a closer look at the wild side of life, then visit the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve. The best time to travel to Periyar National Park is between October to June.

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