Pampadum Shola National Park
Encyclopedia
Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallest national park
in Kerala
state, South India
. The park is administered by the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, Munnar Wildlife Division, together with the nearby Mathikettan Shola National Park
, Eravikulam National Park
, Anamudi Shola National Park
, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
and the Kurinjimala Sanctuary
. The park adjoins the Allinagaram Reserved Forest within the proposed Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
. The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including these parks, is under consideration by the UNESCO
World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site
.
(one of the Dravidian languages
) words, "paamp", which means "snake"; "aattam", means "dance"; and "cholai", means "forest". "Shola" may be considered as a mis-speller of "cholai".
There are various types of Medicinal plants (Herbs), of which studies have been made. After the forest range there are Grandis
(a variety of Eucalyptus
) that threatens the Ecology of the area due to its dehydrating and quick-spreading character. These trees as well as the private legal and illegal plantations of the same trees remain as a living danger. The Eucalyptus trees (Grandis) that eat up the unique eco-system is yet to be a consideration of the forestry. The National Park with its unique richness of uncontaminated "humus", has been an interest of studies recently.
The keystone species
here is the highly elusive and endangered, endemic small carnivore -
the Nilgiri Marten. Leopard
s and Indian wild dog
s are sometimes sighted at dusk or dawn, Tigers
are an important animal of the park. The Old Kodaikanal–Munnar Road
nearby is closed due to the growing population of Wildlife such as Elephant
s, Buffaloes
Gaur
and Black Monkeys.
Some notable birds found here include the Nilgiri Wood-pigeon
, White-bellied Shortwing
, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
, Blue Rock-thrush, Blue-capped Rock-thrush and Nilgiri flycatcher
, and Black-and-orange Flycatcher
s.
, Vattavada, Koviloor, and Kottakkampur, with its rich vegetable cultivations.
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
state, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. The park is administered by the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, Munnar Wildlife Division, together with the nearby Mathikettan Shola National Park
Mathikettan Shola National Park
Mathikettan Shola National Park is a 12.82 km² national park in Poopara village of Udumbanchola taluk in Idukki district of Kerala state, South India.-Etymology:...
, Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km² national park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India, between 10º05'N - 10º20'N latitude and 77º0'E - 77º10'E longitude...
, Anamudi Shola National Park
Anamudi Shola National Park
Anamudi Shola National Park is a protected area located along the Western Ghats in Idukki District, Kerala state, South India. It is composed of Mannavan shola, Idivara shola and Pullardi shola, covering a total area of around 7.5 km². Draft notification of this new park was released on Nov...
, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, , is located 18 km north of Marayoor on SH 17 in the Marayoor and Kanthalloor Panchayats of Devikulam Taluk in the Idukki district of Kerala state in South India. It is one of twelve Wildlife Sanctuaries among the Protected areas of Kerala.It is under the...
and the Kurinjimala Sanctuary
Kurinjimala Sanctuary
Kurinjimala Sanctuary protects the approximately 32 km² core habitat of the endangered Neelakurinji plant in Kottakamboor and Vattavada villages in Devakulam Taluk, Idukki district of Kerala State in South India. -History:...
. The park adjoins the Allinagaram Reserved Forest within the proposed Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
The Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is a proposed Protected area in Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu State South India. The Park will be an upgrade and expansion of the 736.87 km² Palani Wildlife Sanctuary which was to be established in 2008. The park includes about 36% of...
. The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including these parks, is under consideration by the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Etymology
The name´"Pampadum Shola" means, "the forest where the snake dances", derived from three TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
(one of the Dravidian languages
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
) words, "paamp", which means "snake"; "aattam", means "dance"; and "cholai", means "forest". "Shola" may be considered as a mis-speller of "cholai".
Flora
The park protects a moderate amount of montane evergreen shola forest that is associated with the wildlife rich Eravikulam National Park.There are various types of Medicinal plants (Herbs), of which studies have been made. After the forest range there are Grandis
Eucalyptus grandis
Eucalyptus grandis, commonly known as the Flooded gum or Rose gum, is a tall tree with smooth bark, rough at the base fibrous or flaky, grey to grey-brown...
(a variety of Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
) that threatens the Ecology of the area due to its dehydrating and quick-spreading character. These trees as well as the private legal and illegal plantations of the same trees remain as a living danger. The Eucalyptus trees (Grandis) that eat up the unique eco-system is yet to be a consideration of the forestry. The National Park with its unique richness of uncontaminated "humus", has been an interest of studies recently.
Fauna
Keystone species
A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. Such species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem and helping to determine the types and...
here is the highly elusive and endangered, endemic small carnivore -
the Nilgiri Marten. Leopard
Indian leopard
The Indian leopard is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the five big cats found in India, apart from Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard....
s and Indian wild dog
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
s are sometimes sighted at dusk or dawn, Tigers
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
are an important animal of the park. The Old Kodaikanal–Munnar Road
Kodaikanal–Munnar Road
The Kodaikanal–Munnar Road was located in Dindigul District and Theni District of Tamil Nadu and Idukki district of Kerala in South India....
nearby is closed due to the growing population of Wildlife such as Elephant
Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
s, Buffaloes
Wild Asian Water Buffalo
The wild water buffalo also called Asian buffalo and Asiatic buffalo is a large bovine native to Southeast Asia...
Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
and Black Monkeys.
Some notable birds found here include the Nilgiri Wood-pigeon
Nilgiri Wood-pigeon
The Nilgiri Wood Pigeon is large pigeon found in the moist deciduous forests and sholas of the Western Ghats in southwestern India. They are mainly frugivorous and forage in the canopy of dense hill forests...
, White-bellied Shortwing
White-bellied Shortwing
The Nilgiri Blue Robin refers to a kind of bird in the Muscicapidae family endemic to the Shola forests of the higher hills of southern India, mainly north of the Palghat Gap. Both the White-bellied Blue Robin and this species were once treated as sub-species of a single species and in 2005 were...
, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is an Australian lorikeet found in woodland in eastern Australia. The common name aptly describes this bird, which has yellow breast feathers broadly edged with green that look like scales....
, Blue Rock-thrush, Blue-capped Rock-thrush and Nilgiri flycatcher
Nilgiri Flycatcher
The Nilgiri Flycatcher is an Old World flycatcher with a very restricted range in the hills of southern India. It has a colour similar to that of the Verditer Flycatcher which is a winter visitor to the Nilgiris but lacks the dark lores of that species...
, and Black-and-orange Flycatcher
Black-and-orange Flycatcher
The Black-and-orange Flycatcher is a species of flycatcher endemic to the central and southern Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and Palni hill ranges in southern India...
s.
Visitation
The Forest Department provides opportunity to experience the beauty of Pampadum Shola National Park to the curious tourists and research fellows. A special welcome board is placed at the entrance of the National Park, at the Check-post, which is 7 km before reaching Vattavada. These days the National Park is open to the tourists with payment, and the accompaniment of the forest officers Photo, for the safety of the forest as well as of the people. The evergreen trees and the water sources become the habitat of various birds and animals. This thick green forest is situated almost 35 km away from Munnar, towards the road to Koviloor and Vattavada.Nearby Villages
The adjacent villages beyond the National Park are UrkkadUrkkad
Urkkad is a small residential area in the gram panchayat of Koviloor, Vattavada, in Idukki district, Kerala, India. Urkkad is 40 kilometer from Munnar. There are about 100 families, a Carmelite school, a healthcare centre and a Franciscan hermitage in the village. This area belongs to the village...
, Vattavada, Koviloor, and Kottakkampur, with its rich vegetable cultivations.