Parambikulam
Encyclopedia
Parambikulam is located in the Palakkad district
of Kerala
state, south India
. Established in 1973, the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
is in the Sungam range of hills, sprawling over 285 km². It is at a distance of 135 km from Palakkad
town and is situated adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
in Tamil Nadu
. The Western Ghats
, Anamala Hills Sub-Cluster, including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary has been considered for selection as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
Besides being an abode of elephant
s, wild boar, sambar
, gaur
, crocodile
s and a few tiger
s and panther
s, Parambikulam has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Trekking in the forest is allowed with prior permission. Boating is available at the reservoir.
, the 285 km² stretch of forest known as the Parambikulam Sanctuary is one of Kerala’s prime wildlife reserves. Parambikulam lies in the Anamala Hills, south of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. The area is hilly and rocky, drained by several rivers, including the Parambikulam, the Sholayar and the Thekkady.
Thickly forested with stands of Bamboo
, Sandalwood
, Rosewood
and Teak
, the sanctuary has some marshy land and scattered patches of grassland. Parambikulam was once home to some of south India’s finest stands of Teak. However, most of them have now been replaced by Teak plantations. Little remains of the original Teak forests, other than the famous Kannimara teak tree, allegedly the largest tree in Asia
. It is located about 5 km from Thunakadavu. Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary was declared as a tiger reserve on 19/2/2010.
Permits are issued by the Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) at Thiruvananthapuram, the Field Director, Project Tiger at Kottayam and the Divisional Forest Officer at Parambikulam.
There is a tree-house in the Reserve Forest area in Thoonakkadavu, the headquarters of Parambikkulam. It has to be booked in advance. The Rest Houses of the State Forest Department at Thoonakkadavu, Thellikkal and Elathode offer comfortable lodging.
Parambikulam is open throughout the year, but should be avoided during the monsoon. Between June and August, the monsoon rains lash Parambikulam, making hillsides unstable and causing slush, mosquitoes, dripping roofs and other inconveniences.
forests destroyed hundreds of acres of forest tracts and plantations. Fires were caused by unemployed firewatchers and honey gatherers.
There was also a lack of pre-monsoon rain in the area. Normally, the area gets rain between January and April. In 2007, however, there was only 4 mm of rain in January and after that there was no rain at all. Nelliampathi was facing an unprecedented drought. The temperature reached 34oC in April when the average high is usually 26oC.
Palakkad district
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The...
of 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...
. Established in 1973, the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is a 285 km² Protected area in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, South India. Established in 1973, it is in the Sungam range of hills between the Anaimalai Hills and Nelliampathy Hills.,, The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all...
is in the Sungam range of hills, sprawling over 285 km². It is at a distance of 135 km from Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
town and is situated adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
Indira Gandhi National Park
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is a protected area named after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who visited the park on October 7, 1961. It is often called "Topslip", a village in the northeast corner of the park which is the main visitor center. This name is derived from the local...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. The Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
, Anamala Hills Sub-Cluster, including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary has been considered for selection as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
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...
.
Besides being an abode of elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s, wild boar, sambar
Sambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
, 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...
, crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s and a few tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s and panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s, Parambikulam has a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Trekking in the forest is allowed with prior permission. Boating is available at the reservoir.
Facts
Located adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Wildlife SanctuaryIndira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
- See also :*List of birds of South India...
, the 285 km² stretch of forest known as the Parambikulam Sanctuary is one of Kerala’s prime wildlife reserves. Parambikulam lies in the Anamala Hills, south of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. The area is hilly and rocky, drained by several rivers, including the Parambikulam, the Sholayar and the Thekkady.
Thickly forested with stands of Bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
, Sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
, Rosewood
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
and Teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
, the sanctuary has some marshy land and scattered patches of grassland. Parambikulam was once home to some of south India’s finest stands of Teak. However, most of them have now been replaced by Teak plantations. Little remains of the original Teak forests, other than the famous Kannimara teak tree, allegedly the largest tree in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is located about 5 km from Thunakadavu. Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary was declared as a tiger reserve on 19/2/2010.
Visitor Information
Visitors are allowed into Parambikulam between 7 am and 6 pm. No vehicles may leave the park after 6.30 pm. The entry fee is a paltry Rs. 0.50. Depending on the vehicle, the entry fee can be between Rs. 5 (for light vehicles) and Rs. 10 (for heavy vehicles).Permits are issued by the Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) at Thiruvananthapuram, the Field Director, Project Tiger at Kottayam and the Divisional Forest Officer at Parambikulam.
There is a tree-house in the Reserve Forest area in Thoonakkadavu, the headquarters of Parambikkulam. It has to be booked in advance. The Rest Houses of the State Forest Department at Thoonakkadavu, Thellikkal and Elathode offer comfortable lodging.
Parambikulam is open throughout the year, but should be avoided during the monsoon. Between June and August, the monsoon rains lash Parambikulam, making hillsides unstable and causing slush, mosquitoes, dripping roofs and other inconveniences.
Fauna
The sanctuary has a rich diversity of animal life including: 39 species of mammals, 16 species of amphibians, 268 species of birds, 61 species of reptiles, 47 species of fish, 124 species of butterflies and more than a thousand species of insects.- Important mammals include: lion-tailed MacaqueLion-tailed MacaqueThe lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey that is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.-Physical Characteristics:...
, Nilgiri TahrNilgiri TahrThe Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiritragus hylocrius, known locally as the Nilgiri Ibex or simply Ibex, is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu...
, elephantElephantElephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
, tigerTigerThe tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
, pantherPanther-Large cats:* Panthera, the feline genus which contains lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars* Panther , the leopard * Panther , the cougar or mountain lion...
, Wild boar, Sambar deerSambar DeerThe Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
, Bonnet MacaqueBonnet MacaqueThe bonnet macaque is a macaque endemic to southern India. Its distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari and Tapti Rivers along with a related competing species of rhesus macaque in the north....
, Nilgiri LangurNilgiri LangurThe Nilgiri langur is a lutung found in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in South India. Its range also includes Kodagu in Karnataka,Kodayar Hills in Tamil Nadu and many other hilly areas in Kerala and Tamil nadu. This primate has glossy black fur on its body and golden brown fur on its head...
, Sloth BearSloth BearThe sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
as well as Nilgiri Marten Small Travancore Flying Squirrel and GaurGaurThe 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...
, the mascot mammal of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. - Reptiles of high importance in Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary include: King cobraKing CobraThe king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
, Kerala sheildtail, Travancore kukri snake, Travancore wolf snake, Cochin cane turtle, Travancore tortoise, Indian day gecko and Western Ghats flying lizard. Others include Indian rock python, Malabar pit viper, South Indian forest ground gecko, South Indian rock lizard, Mountain skinkMountain SkinkMountain Skink may refer to:* Chalcides montanus from Morocco* Egernia montana from continental Australia* Eumeces callicephalus from Arizona, New Mexico, and north-western Mexico...
, Mugger crocodileMugger CrocodileThe mugger crocodile , also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries...
, Varanus, Pond terapin, chameleonChameleonChameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
and the a lot of snakes. - Of the recorded species in the sanctuary, seven are listed as endangered and 17 are endemic to Western Ghats.
- 268 bird species have been recorded in the sanctuary. 134 species are listed as rare and 18 species are endemic to Western Ghats such as Lesser adjutant stork, Grey-headed Fish-eagle, Peninsular bay owl, Broad-billed rollerBroad-billed RollerThe Broad-billed Roller, Eurystomus glaucurus, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa and Madagascar in all but the driest regions. It is a wet season breeder, which migrates from the northern and southern areas of its range towards the moister equatorial...
and Great pied hornbill. Other birds include DarterDarterThe darters or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds in the family Anhingidae. There are four living species, three of which are very common and widespread while the fourth is rarer and classified as near-threatened by the IUCN. The term "snakebird" is usually used without any additions to...
, Little CormorantLittle CormorantThe Little Cormorant is a member of the Cormorant family of seabirds: Aptly named, the Little Cormorant is small in comparison with other cormorants, only 55 cm in length with an average mass of 442.5 g...
, Black eagleBlack EagleThe Black Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical Asia and hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests...
, Black-capped kingfisherBlack-capped KingfisherThe Black-capped Kingfisher, Halcyon pileata, is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in tropical Asia from India east to China, Korea and Southeast Asia...
, Great Indian hornbill and Black woodpeckerBlack WoodpeckerThe Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius, is a large woodpecker, 45–50 cm long with a 64–84 cm wingspan. Body weight is approximately 300-400 grams on average. It is easily the largest woodpecker in its range...
. - There are 124 species of butterflies recorded in the sanctuary of which 34 are rare and endemic.
- Amphibians living in the sanctuary include Ridged toad (Bufo parietalisBufo parietalisThe Ridged Toad, Bufo parietalis is a species of toad found in the Western Ghats of India.-Description:Head with very prominent ridges, namely a canthal, a slight preorbital, a supraorbital, a postorbital, a parietal, and an orbitotympanic; parietal ridges obliquely directed inwards; snout short,...
), Common Asiatic toad (Bufo melanostictusBufo melanostictusThe Common Indian Toad or Common Asiatic/Asian Toad or Black-spined Toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus is a species of toad that is common in South Asia. The species grows to almost 20 cm long. The species breeds during the monsoons and the tadpoles are black...
), Large wrinkled frog (Nyctibatrachus majorNyctibatrachus majorNyctibatrachus major is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. Its English names are Malabar night frog, large wrinkled frog and Boulenger's narrow-eyed frog -Geographic range:...
), Small wrinkled frog (Nyctibatrachus minor), Rana tigerina, Rana keralensis, Rana cyanophlyctis, Rana leptodactyla, Rana limnocharis, Rana beddomil, Rana semipalamata, Bicoloureol frog (Rana curtipes), Bronzed frog (Rana temporalis), Reddish burrowing (frog Tomopterna rufescens), Parambikulam frog (Tomopterna parambikulamana), White-nosed bush frog (Philautus leucorhinusPhilautus leucorhinusPhilautus leucorhinus was a species of frog in the Rhacophoridae family.It was endemic to Sri Lanka.-Source:* Manamendra-Arachchi, K., Biju, S.D. & de Silva, A. 2004. . Downloaded on 23 July 2007....
), White-spotted bush frog (Philautus chalzodes), Kerala warty frog (Limnonectes keralensis), Indian skipper frog (Euphlyetis cyanophlyctis), Limnonectes limnocharis, Beddome’s leaping frog (Indirana beddomiiIndirana beddomiiBeddome's Leaping Frog is a species of frog found in the Western Ghats. They are usually detected by the long leaps as the flush from the ground when disturbed. The species is named after the naturalist Richard Henry Beddome....
), Short webbed leaping frog (Indirana brachytarsusIndirana brachytarsusIndirana brachytarsus is a species of frog found in India....
) and the Common frog (Micrixalus fuscusMicrixalus fuscusThe Dusky torrent frog is a species of small frog found in dense forested hill streams in the Western Ghats of India.-Description:Description from G. A...
).
Flora
The Sanctuary has a variety of trees mainly Teak, Neem[Veppu], Sandalwood[Chandhana Maram] and Rosewood.Nature Threats
In April 2007, a wild fire in parts of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjoining NelliampathiNelliampathi
Nelliampathi is a popular hill station 60 km away from Palakkad in Kerala, a small state in south India. It is surrounded by tea and coffee plantations and has excellent weather conditions. The journey to Nelliampathi itself is an experience. The only route is from Nemmara, from where the...
forests destroyed hundreds of acres of forest tracts and plantations. Fires were caused by unemployed firewatchers and honey gatherers.
There was also a lack of pre-monsoon rain in the area. Normally, the area gets rain between January and April. In 2007, however, there was only 4 mm of rain in January and after that there was no rain at all. Nelliampathi was facing an unprecedented drought. The temperature reached 34oC in April when the average high is usually 26oC.