ERAVIKULAM NATIONAL PARK
AT
IDUKKI
Eravikulam National Park is in the nearest Munnar town of Idukki district of Kerala State of India. The first of its kind in Kerala, where the endangered Nilgiri Thar is protected. Spread over 97 sq. km., this park holds the largest viable population of Tahr, several other species of rare animals, birds and butterflies.
The park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and also of the rolling hills caressed by blankets of mist. The park becomes a hot destination when the hill slopes get covered in a carpet of blue, resulting from the flowering of Neelakurinji. It is a plant endemic to this part of the Western Ghats which blooms once in twelve years.
Most of the areas of the national park are consistent hill plateau. So, you can see only high rolling slopes here.In 1975 Eravikulam was declared as a wildlife sanctuary and then in 1978 it was given the status of a National park. The main motive behind this was to protect the rare Nilgiri Tahr and Hemitragus Hylocrious, which are common here. But now the park is home to numerous protected species of flora and fauna.
It is an ideal place for seeing the biodiversity of high elevation shola-grassland ecosystem. Visitors are taken to Rajamalai in forest dept vehicles and given an opportunity to see all this. Private vehicles are not allowed here. The National Park is usually closed at the time of calving of Nilgiri Tahr which is usually during the early months of every year.
A sanctuary for the endangered mountain goat of South India, the Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragus hylocrious), the Eravikulam National Park stands out for the stark beauty of its rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97 sq km in the Kannan devan hills.
Anamudi, the highest peak (2695 m) south of Himalayas, stands majestically in the core area of the national park. The slopes of the hills abound in many kinds of rare flora which include rare terrestrial and epiphytic orchids, and beautiful wild balsams. Important fauna here are the Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur, leopard, tiger, Indian bison, etc.
Rajamalai is the tourism zone of the National Park, where the visitors are taken in forest dept vehicles and introduced to the shola - grassland eco system unique to this region. There is a very informative interpretation centre at Rajamalai.
A protected area, the sanctuary is divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area - Rajamalai - the region lying beyond the road entry into Eravikulam. Here one can observe the Nilgiri Tahr at close quarters.
Don't make this your destination during the early months of the year, the park may be closed for visitors because it is calving time of the Tahr.
Visiting hours: 0700 to 1800 hrs
By Air
Nearest airport is Madurai (Tamilnadu) about 142 km; Cochin International Airport, about 150 km.
By Train
Nearest railway station is Aluva about 109 km from Munnar; Angamali, about 108 km from Munnar.
Entry fee for Indians: Rs. 15/head
Entry fee for Foreigners: Rs. 200/head
Entry fee for children below 12 years and for Bonafied students: Rs. 5/head
Contact Address:
The Wildlife Warden
Munnar PO, Idukki
Kerala, India - 685 612
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