Established
with an aim to protect the Nilgiri Tahr, the Eravikulam Park is situated in
Devikulam Taluk of the Idukki District. Its name means the tuft of an
elephant and refers to the hairy top of an elephant's head. The Park was
declared as a sanctuary in 1975 and a National Park in 1978. It is spread
over an area of 97 sq.km. and is situated on the border of Kerala and Tamil
Nadu in the north where it extends as the Annamalai National Park.
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.
Best time to visit :
The best time to visit Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is between October to
March.
How to get there ?
» By Air - Cochin is the nearest airport from
Eravikulam (143 km.) and is connected to many places in India by regular
flights.
» By Rail - The nearest railway station to Ernakulam
is in Cochin (115 km.) and here there are regular trains to all the metros
in the country.
» By Road - A motorable road is there up to
Rajamalai, the park headquarter. From Rajamalai, one needs to travel on foot
for around 18 kms. Rajamalai is at a distance of around 17 km. from the
Munnar town connected to many places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu by regular bus
services.
Major Attractions of Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary :
» Flora - The rich flora of Eravikulam Wildlife
Sanctuary consists of Actinodaphne bourdilloni, Microtropis ramiflora,
pittosporum tetraspermium, Sysygium arnottianum, Chrysopogon zelanieus,
Eupatorium adenophorum, Strobilanthes, Kunthi anus (Neelakurinji), Eulalia
phaeothrix, Tripogen bromodes, Arundninella fuscata and Cyanotis species.
»
Fauna - The Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is world famous for its
largest population of Nilgiri Tahr which are about 1317 in number, according
to the 1991 census. Tiger, panther and wild dogs are can be spotted in both
the open grass land sholas forests. Civet cat, jungle cat, Sloth bear,
Nilgiri langur and wild boar also inhabit in sholas and their fringes. The
Atlas moth, the largest of its kind in the world, can also be spotted in
this park.
Other Attraction :
Anamudi, Anamudi (2694m), the highest peak, south of the Himalayas, is
situated in the south of the park, spires over the sanctuary in grand pride.
Accommodation Facilities :
There are several private lodges in Munnar. In addition, there are
government guest houses at Munnar and Devikulam. PWD rest houses also offer
accommodation. Club Mahindra Resort and The Munnar Club also has some rooms.
Nearby Cities :
Eravikulam is at a distance of 15 km from Munnar and 115 km. from Cochin.
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