Protected areas of Kerala

The Protected areas of Kerala include a wide range of biomes, extending east from the coral reefs, estuaries, salt marshes, mangroves and beaches of the Arabian Sea through the tropical moist broadleaf forests of the Malabar Coast moist forests to the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests and South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests to South Western Ghats montane rain forests on the western border of Tamilnadu in the Western Ghats. Most protected areas throughout its 14 Districts are under the stewardship of the and the Kerala Forest Dept and like all Protected areas of India receive support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (India).

location map start|Kerala|float=right|width=310 location map end|Kerala|caption=National Parks of Kerala

Land coverage

Kerala State in South India covers an area of km2 to mi2|38863|abbr=yes.
*The total forest area in the state is km2 to mi2|10336|abbr=yes (1995), forming 26.6% of the total geographic area. *There are six National Parks with a total area of km2 to mi2|558.16|abbr=yes.
*There are fourteen Wildlife Sanctuaries with a total area of km2 to mi2|1891.07|abbr=yes.
*Together this km2 to mi2|2449.23|abbr=yes in Sanctuaries and National Parks is 23.7% of the total forest area and 6.3% of the Geographical area of the State.

History

The first official action towards the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in Kerala was taken in 1934 by the Maharaja of the Princely state of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, by declaring the forests around Periyar lake as a private game reserve to stop the encroachment of tea plantations. It was founded as Nellikkampatty Game Reserve. It was consolidated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1950 after the political integration of India. [ Kerala Forest Dept. [http://www.keralaforest.gov.in/html/general/wildlife.htm Kerala Forest Dept.] ]

Biosphere reserves

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (5,520 km²) established in 1986, includes parts of Wynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley and Siruvani Hills in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (3,500 km²) established in 2001, covers parts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta Districts in Kerala and Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts in Tamil Nadu.

National parks

1978 Eravikulam National Park Idukki District, 97 km² 1982 Periyar National Park Idukki District, 350 km² 1984 Silent Valley National Park Palakkad District, 89.52 km²

2003 Mathikettan Shola National Park Idukki District, 12.82 km²

2003 Anamudi Shola National Park in Idukki District is composed of Mannavan shola, Idivara shola and Pullardi shola, covering a total area of 7.5 km².

2003 Pambadum Shola National Park Idukki District, 1.318 km²

Proposed Karimpuzha National Park, 230 km²

Wildlife sanctuaries

1950 Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki District, 427 km² 1973 Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary Wayanad District, 344.44 km² TSE, MD, P, C 800 m-1158 m Elephant, Tiger 1973 Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary Palakkad District, 285 km²TE, TSE, DD, MD, P 459 m-1439 m Nilgiri Tahr, Lion Tailed Macaque, Gaur & Elephant 1958 Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary Thiruvananthapuram District, 128 km², TE, TSE, MF, MD, P, C. reed brakes. 80 m-1866 m Ibex, Lion Tailed Macaque, Elephant, Nilgiri Langur, Crocodile, Shola birds. More than 150 endemics. 1958 Peechi Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary Thrissur District, 125 km² Peechi-Vazhani TSE, MD, P, C. 40 m-928 m

1984 Chimony Wildlife Sanctuary 85 km² Thrissur District, 90 TE, TSE, MD, P, C 50 m-1116 m Elephant, Tiger 1984 Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary Kollam District, 171 km² [http://thenmala.info/sanctuary.html Shenduruny] TE, TSE, MF, MD, P. Myristica swamps 120 m-1785 m Tiger, Lion Tailed Macaque, Shola birds & lesser predators. Gluta Travancorica (tree)1984 Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary Idukki District, 90.44 km²TE, MF, MD, DD, P, C. Natural Sandal forests 440-2300 Nilgiri Tahr, Elephant, Dry habitat species of animals & birds 1976 Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary Idukki District, 70.0 km²
Idukki District TSE, MD, P, C 600 m-1200 m Elephant, Sambar 1984 Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary Kannur District, 55 km²
Kannur District 1984 55 MF, TE, TSE, C 60-1598 Gaur, Sambar, Nilgiri Langur, 1983 Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary Thiruvananthapuram District, 53 km²TE, TSE, MF, MD, P, C 60 m-1717 m Lion Tailed Macaque, Elephant, Shola birds 1983 Thattekadu Bird Sanctuary Idukki District, 25.16 km² TSE, MD, P, C 30 m-620 m Birds 2004 Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary Ernakulam District, 0.0274 km², Almost at Sea level

2006 Kurinjimala Sanctuary Idukki District, 32 km² (approx.) MF 800 m-2550 m (approx.) (Neelakurinji) plant

2007 The Proposed Ranipuram Wildlife sanctuary in kasaragod district. Apprx 80 km². shola forests,Elephants, leopards, wild dogs, various species of birds, malabar civet cats, slender loris, macaque...etc No protection for this highly Ranipuram biodiversity area. Illegal night hunting and poaching are main threats. Immediate attention of the concerned Authorities and declare it as a wild life sanctuary. an integral part of Brahmagiri biosphre.

Useful sources are [National Wildlife Database Cell, WILDLIFE INSTITUTE OF INDIA DEHRADUN, (position as on April 23, 2007), retrieved 7/25/2007 [http://www.wii.gov.in/nwdc/pa_list.pdf LIST OF PROTECTED AREAS] ] , Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department [Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department, (2004) [http://www.keralaforest.org/html/general/threats. Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department] ] and Expert Eyes [Expert Eyes, [http://expert-eyes.org/parks.html WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES] ]

Tiger reserves

1978 Periyar Tiger Reserve 777.54 km²
Idukki District 1950. PTR notified in 1982 TE, MF, MD, P. West Coast TE 900 m-2019 m Tiger, Lion Tailed Macaque, Black Panther, Elephant, smaller mammals

Zoos

*The Trivandrum Zoo is one among the best designed in Asia and is set amidst a woodland, lakes and lawns. [ Public Relations Department, Govt. of Kerala., 101 Things to Do in Kerala, retrieved 6/23/2007 [http://www.kerala.gov.in/disttourism/101.htm Trivandrum zoo] ] It is one of the oldest in the country, established as an annexe to the Museum in 1857.
*The Kerala State Museum and Zoo started functioning in 1885. It is spread over in 5.5 hectors of land in Thrissur town. There are Zoological Garden, Botanical Garden, Art Museum and Natural History Museum in this compound. The Zoo has 315 animals in 46 species. [Kerala State Department of Museums and Zoos [http://www.kerala.gov.in/dept_zoomuseum/index.htm Zoological garden, Thiruvananthapuram] ]

Reserve forests

*Attappadi - The 249 km² Attappadi Reserve Forest is an informal buffer zone conjoining Silent Valley National Park to the West. [ keralaatbest.com (2002) "Palgat", retrieved 4/1/2007 [http://www.keralaatbest.com/palghat.htm Palgat] ] 81 km² of this forest was separated to become most of the new 94 km² Bhavani Forest Range which is part of the 147.22 km² Silent Valley Buffer Zone.
*A useful source is detailed Topographic Maps of India.University of Texas Libraries, India and Pakistan 1:250,000, Series U502, U.S. Army Map Service, 1955 [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ Topographic Maps of India] ]

Notes

ee also

*Protected areas of West Bengal
*Protected areas of Himachal Pradesh
*Protected areas of Tamil Nadu

References