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| Kerala Wildlife |
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| Kerala in South India, also called God's Own Country, is home to many rare and special forms of animal, bird and marine life. The wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala provide refuge to different forms of wildlife in Kerala and provide tourists with an opportunity to see these rare creatures in their natural surroundings. |
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| Some of the unique wild animals that tourists can see on tours of Kerala, with Kerala Backwater are elephants, Nilgiri Tahr, tigers, leopards, lion-tailed macaque, deer, monkeys, civet cats, squirrels including the Malabar giant squirrel. You can see different varieties of birds including woodpeckers, Malabar hornbills, kingfishers, cormorants, darters, plovers, and brahminy kites along the backwaters of Kerala. You're also likely to see many species of butterflies and moths, flutter by as you float along a Kerala Backwater. On the shoreline you can see many species of crabs, mudskippers, turtles and deeper in the water you can see fish and even crocodiles |
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| Some of the wildlife sanctuaries you will see in Kerala with Kerala Backwater are |
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| 1 . Periyar National Park |
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| Periyar National Park, in Kerala, India, is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India, which you can see when you travel with Kerala Backwater. Situated at Thekkady in the Idukki district of Kerala, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated around the artificially created Periyar Lake. In 1895 a dam was constructed across the Ullaperiyar River. The resultant lake and its surrounding forest area were abundant in wildlife, leading to the creating of a hunting reserve for the Maharaja of Travancore |
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| Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a Project Tiger reserve in 1978 and is one of the most beautiful wildlife sanctuaries in India. Its unique ecosystem which consists of thick moist deciduous vegetation, dense evergreen forests and the aquatic environment of the Periyar Lake make Periyar a unique and precious wildlife resource |
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| The animals you can see in Periyar Wildlife sanctuary are tigers, though they remain concealed in the dense jungle and elephants, which can be seen in herds and family groups along the banks of Periyar Lake. The interaction between the elephants in a herd and their behavior while they drink, bathe and engage in mock fights and play on the lake's edge is a fascinating sight. A boat cruise on Periyar Lake a good way to observe the elephants from a short distance away, without disturbing them |
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| Other wild animals that you can see in Periyar are leopards, Gaur or Indian Bison, many varieties of Deer, including barking deer, chital and sambhar, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Covet Cat, mongooses, Nilgiri Langur, wild boar and many species of monkeys. Birds seen at Periyar Wildife sanctuary include Black-winged Kite, Brahminy Kite, Great Indian Hornbill, kingfisher, darter, cormorant, barbet, plover, jacana, and many others. Over 250 species of birds have been seen at Periyar National Park. Reptiles seen in the wildlife sanctuary include crocodiles in the lake, tortoises, frogs and snakes including King Cobras and Kraits |
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| Extending over 777 sq Km, Periyar National Park is a pleasure to visit on your Kerala Backwater tour and you're sure to enjoy its rich variety of flora and fauna if you're a wildlife lover. The peaceful atmosphere of the sanctuary far from the busy cities of Kerala are sure to provide every tourist to Periyar wildlife sanctuary with a refreshing and restful experience. |
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| The nearest Airport to Periyar National Park is Madurai in Tamil Nadu, which is 143 km away. Cochin Airport in Kerala is 200 km away. The nearest town to Periyar is Kumily, which is 4 Km away. There are daily buses to Kumily from Thiruvananthapuram, Madurai and Cochin. The forest department bus conveys tourists to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary from Kumily every day. Enjoy your tour to the exotic Periyar National Park with Kerala Backwater |
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| 2 . Silent Valley National Park |
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| Silent Valley National Park is situated in the Palakkad district of Kerala. Silent Valley in Kerala is considered India's last area of tropical evergreen rain forest and is a precious biodiversity resource, which you can visit on tours with Kerala Backwater. Threatened by the construction of a dam across the Kunti River, which flows out of Silent Valley National Park, during the 1970's, Silent Valley was rescued as a result of an agitation by environmentalists and conservationists in Kerala. |
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| Situated in the Kundali Hills, 40 Km from Mannarkkad, in the Western Ghats in Kerala, Silent Valley National Park is one of the few remaining pristine forest areas in the Western Ghats. It was declared a National Park in 1980 and is the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Called Silent Valley because the loud calls of Cicadas heard elsewhere in this region are not heard here, Silent Valley has an amazing range of wildlife. Tigers, deer, and mammals native to the South Indian Peninsula, such as the Nilgiri Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Flying squirrel and Civet Cat are found in Silent Valley National Park. You can enjoy observing these rare animals and many more in Silent Valley National Park on a tour with Kerala backwater |
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| More than 100 butterflies species and 400 moth species have also been observed in Silent Valley National Park. Birds such as the Malabar Hornbill, Great Indian Hornbill, hoopoes, tree pie, barbets, crow pheasant, woodpeckers, rollers, drongoes, kingfishers and parakeets can be seen in abundance in Silent Valley National park. Many varieties of snakes, amphibians and lizards can also be seen in Silent Valley |
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| There are more than 110 species of plants in Silent Valley National Park, including many plants that are known for their medicinal properties. The best time to visit Silent Valley is from September to March, during the pleasant winter. |
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| 3 . Eravikulam National Park |
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| Eravikulam National Park is situated in the Idukki district of Kerala. Located in the Devikulam taluk, Eravikulam National Park was created as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975. Home to a significant population of endangered Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat found in South India, Eravikulam was declared a National Park in 1978. Spread over an area of 97 sq Km, Eravikulam National Park is located 15 km north of the hill station of Munnar. You can see the attractions of Eravikulam National Park on a Kerala Backwater tour |
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| The landscape of Eravikulam National Park consists of undulating hills and grassy knolls. The natural forests in this area are known as Shola and Eravikulam National Park has several characteristic patches of Shola, where the native flora and fauna can be observed. The green hills and rolling slopes are a beautiful sight and have been compared to the Alpine meadows of Switzerland. Many species of rare plants including the Neelkurinji, which gives the Nilgiri Hills its blue color, can be seen in the forests of Eravikulam, in Kerala on your Kerala Backwater Tour. |
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| Among the hills in Eravikulam National Park is Anaimudi the tallest peak in South India, which rises to a height of 2694 m. Its name means the tuft of an elephant and refers to the hairy top of an elephant's head. The climate in Eravikulam national park is pleasant year round. It rains very heavily during the monsoon and inters can be frosty but days are mild and excellent for touring the sanctuary and observing animals in their natural state |
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| Some of the animals you can see on tours of Eravikulam National Park with Kerala Backwater are, over a thousand Nilgiri Tahr, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, civet cats, wild boar, sloth bear, Nilgiri Langur, squirrels, mongoose and snakes and reptiles. Many species of butterflies and moths are also seen. The Atlas Moth, one of the world's largest moths is also found in Eravikulam National Park |
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