Eravikulam National Park
The Eravikulam National Park was established for the preservation of Nilgiri
Tahr, one of the seriously endangered animals and it now has the largest known
population of Tahr existing in the world. The park is 130 km away from Ernakulam
and 148 km away from Kottayam. In addition to Tahr, the park is rich in fauna
like the Elephants, Sambars, Gaurs, Lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Tiger,
Barking deer and Leopards. One can ride upto Rajamally where the road ends.
One has to treck the rest of the way.
One of the most interesting and rewarding sight is the flowering of the blue
Neelkurinji flowers on the hillsides. Unfortunately, this flower blooms only
once in 12 years.
The North Travancore Land Planting Society, during the British period, owned
the region of Rajamalai and Eravikulam. But the area was later handed over
to the Kannan Deven Hill Produce Corporation by them. The Corporation converted
the region into a private hunting area as they found it was unsuitable for
the tea plantation. The area of Rajamalai was declared a wildlife sanctuary
in the year 1936. But the Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was established only
in 1975. In 1978, the sanctuary was upgraded and given the status of a national
park.
The Nilgiri Tahr is one of the most endangered species in India. Eravikulam is the only place where one can spot this wild goat. The park was established provide shelter to this animal in its natural environment. Due to the concerted efforts of the park authorities, the population of the Nilgiri Tahr has increased tremendously. Now at least five to six hundred Tahrs can be found here. Other faunal species found in the park are elephant Gaur, Giant Squirrel, Leopard, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Tiger, and Sambar. The park is also home to three species of lizards, four of snakes, and five of amphibians.
Some of the animals you can see on tours of Eravikulam National Park 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.
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.
Main Attractions at Eravikulam park
The main inhabitant of the Eravikulam park is Nilgiri Tahr. Now the park
has the largest known population of Tahrs existing in the world.The park also
shelters Atlas Moth, Elephants, Sambhars, Gaurs, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri
Langur, Tigers and Leopards.
Other Attractions: Anamudi (2,695 m) is the highest peak in south India and
located within the park area. This is a good place for trekking.
Location:
Eravikulam National Park is situated in the south Indian state of Kerala in
the higher altitudes of the Western Ghats. The park extends from the latitude
9 40' in the North to the longitude 77 20" in the East. A part of the
Idukki district, Eravikulam is very near to the scenic hill station of Munnar.
Climate(Eravikulam National Park)
The climate of this region is greatly influenced by the southwestern monsoon.
June, July, and August are the monsoon months and this is the period when
the region receives maximum rainfall while April and May are the hottest months.
January and February receive little rain and the weather is generally clear
during this time of the year. From September to December, the northeast monsoon
brings a little rain and this period along with the months of January and
February are the best time to visit this park.
