Eravikulam
Wildlife Sanctuary is situated near Munnar in Kerala. This wildlife
sanctuary is spreaded across an area of 97 sq. kms, the park exhibits
the breathtaking natural splendor of rolling grasslands and exotic
flowers. Anamudi, the highest peak south of Himalayas, towers over the
sanctuary in majestic pride. The Atlas Moth, largest of its kind in the
world, is a unique possession of the park.Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
is a sanctuary set up for the preservation of the endangered Nilgiri
Tahr.
Main
Attraction : Nilgiri Tahr, Atlas Moth
Best Time to Visit : November to April
The park is divided into 3 regions - the
core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed
only to the tourism area which is in the Rajamalaregion. Trekking
facilities are available here. Tourists are allowed to go on foot up to
Anamudi. The Eravikulam (15 kms from Munnar) is situated in the
Devikulam Taluk of the Idukki District. The park lies along the high
ranges of the western coast in the Munnar Forest Division of Idukki
district in Kerala. It is situated on the border of Kerala and Tamil
Nadu in the north where it extends as the Annamalai National Park. The
mountains covered with the rolling grasslands and high level sholas is
breathtakingly beautiful.
This Park spread over an area of 97
sq. km, was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr also known as the
Nilgiri Ibex.The Rajamala is the natural habitat of this rare mountain
goat. Half the world population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr
(Hemitragas hylocres) lives here. (Around 1317, according to the 1991
census). It was declared as a sanctuary in 1975. Considering the
ecological, faunal, floral, geo-morphological and zoological
significance, it was declared as a National Park in 1978. The Park is
divided into 3 regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism
area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area which is in the
Rajamala region. Trekking facilities are available here. Anamudi (2694
m), the highest peak, south of the Himalayas, is situated in the south
of the Park.
Flora
The vegetation type of this
region is mainly tropical evergreen forest. Grasslands, shrubs, and
forests are what one finds throughout. Grasslands with patches of
forests known as sholas in between cover almost the entire region.
Fauna
Other
rare species of fauna found here are the Nilgiri Langur, the lion-tailed
macaque, leopards, tigers, etc. An ideal place for trekking, facilities
are provided here and tourists are allowed to go on foot up to Anamudi.
How
to reach
- By Air
Cochin is the nearest airport from Eravikulam
- 143 kms - is and connected to many places in India by regular
flights.
- By Rail
The nearest railway station is Ernakulam
(Cochin), - 115 kms - from where there are regular trains to all the
metros in the country.
- By Road
A motorable road is there up to Rajamalai,
the park headquarter. From Rajamalai, one needs to travel on foot
for around 18 kms. Rajamalai is at a distance of around 17 kms from
the Munnar town connected to many places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu by
regular bus services.
