About
Eravikulam National
Park
Eravikulam
Wildlife Sanctuary
is a sanctuary set up
for the preservation
of the endangered Nilgiri
Tahr. The park has the
largest known population
of Tahr's existing in
the world and also shelters
Atlas Moth, Elephants,
Sambhar, Gaurs, Lion-tailed
Macaque, Nilgiri, Langur,
Tigers and Leopards.
Spread 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
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
shoals are 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.
Besides
the Nilgiri tahr other
important fauna are
elephant, leopard, tiger,
malabar civet, sambar,
barking deer, nilgai,
langur, python etc.
The birds, found are
imperial pigeon, grew
jungle fowl etc.
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History
of Eravikulam National
Park
During
the colonial days, the
High Range Game Preservation
Association managed
the area as a Game Preserve
for the erstwhile Kannadevan
Hills Produce Company.
The Muduvan tribals,
known for theit tracking
skills, were employed
as game watchers. They
are the original inhabitants
of these hills.
The
area was taken over
in 1971 by the Kerala
Government and declared
as a Sanctuary in 1975.
It was upgraded to a
national park in 1978in
recognition of it's
unique ecological values.
The
planter community and
the Muduvans continue
their association with
the protection and management
of the park.
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Eravikulam
National Park is situated
in the High Ranges (Kannan
Devan Hills) of the
Southern Western Ghats
in the Devikolam Taluk
of Idukki district,
Kerala State between
10º 05' - 10º
20' N Latitude and 77º
0' - 77º 10' E
Longitude.
Etymologically, Eravikulam
denotes streams and
pools. The Park is 97
sq. km. in extent, consisting
mostly of high altitude
grasslands that are
interspersed with sholas.
The main body of the
National Park comprising
of a high rolling plateau
with a base elevation
of about 2000 meters
from mean sea level.
The Park is of undulating
terrain and the highest
peak is Anamudi (2690
m). Three major types
of plant communities
are found in the Park-grasslands,
shrub land and forests.
Grasslands primarily
cover the high plateau
and the hills rising
above it. Shrub lands
are seen along the bases
of the cliffs. Shola
forests are located
in the valleys and folds.
Turner s valley, which
splits the Park roughly
in half from northwest
to southeast, is the
deepest.
The park
is accessible from Kochi
(Kerala) and Coimbatore
(Tamil Nadu) airports,
which are located at
about 148 Km and 175
Km respectively.
Munnar is the nearest
town (13km.), well connected
by roads from Kerala
and Tamil Nadu.
The nearest railway
station in Kerala is
Aluva (120 Km away from
Munnar) and in Tamil
Nadu is Coimbatore (165
Km)
The
only motorable road
inside the Park passes
through the southern
extremity inside the
tourism zone (Rajamala)
to the Rajamallay tea
estate. Another road
head leads to the Lakkom
Muduvakudy on the periphery
and is not usable at
present. All other movements
inside the Park are
on foot along trails
and footpaths.
Public
conveyance facilities
like buses and taxi,
telephone, fax, postal,
Internet and e-mail
facilities are available
at Munnar. Boarding
and lodging facilities
of various categories
exist in this small
township.
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The
main body of the National
Park is a high rolling
plateau with a base
elevation of about 2000
mts. Most of the knolls
and peaks raise 100-300
mts. above it with some
mountains reaching altitudes
of over 2500mts. The
highest peak is Anaimudi(2690mts).
The vast grasslands
interspread with sholas
(patches of stunted
evergreen forests) is
the last remnants of
the unique ecosystem
that was once prevalent
in the upper reaches
of the Western Ghats.
The park is crass-crossed
by perennial streams
that originate in the
sholas.
The
climate is described
as Tropical Mountain.
The Park experiences
very heavy rainfall.
It receives its major
precipitation during
the southwest monsoons
(June-August).
The
average annual rainfall
is about 3000mm. January-March
is relatively dry months.
In winter, the temperature
goes down even below
freezing point.
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