ERAVIKULAM NATIONAL PARK

ERAVIKULAM NATIONAL PARK

INTRODUCTION

The Eravikulam National Park was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered specie of the wild goat and the only one to be found south of the Himalayas. Rich in forest and grasses, this park is relatively new as it was in 1978 that the area was notified as a park. 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 is extends as the Annamalai National Park. HISTORY During the British Raj, the North Travancore Land Planting Society owned the region of Rajamalai and Eravikulam, but they later handed over the area to the Kannan Deven Hill Produce Corporation. The Corporation turned the region into a private hunting area, as it was found unsuitable of tea plantation. The region of Rajamalai was declared a wildlife sanctuary way back in 1936, but the present sanctuary was established only in 1975. In 1978, the status of the sanctuary was upgraded to the level of a national park. LOCATION Eravikulam 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. FACTS & FIGURES BEST TIME TO VISIT 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.