Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Periyar is one of India's most picturesque reserves. A dam constructed on the Periyar river led to the submersion of a large forest area and the formation of a 55 sq km lake, which assured the local wildlife a perennial source of water. This led to the rapid growth of the park.

The Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve offers plenty of opportunities for recreation and enjoyment. Periyar is a must see destination in Kerala Tours. One can swim in the lake or get permits for angling that are easily available from the Forest Officer in Thekkady. Boat rides on the lake are definitely a must, and motor launches are available throughout the day from 6 am to 4 pm. Exhilarating treks through the forest to the temple of Mangla Devi can also be organised. Lectures on wildlife preservation are organized regularly at the park and these can be of help in understanding the wild creatures and their environment. Late afternoon is just right for another walk down the lakeside. The evening walk along the lake is always tinged with forebodings of danger combined with exhilaration at being in such a beautiful place.

Periyar was declared a sanctuary in 1934, and became the only Tiger Project in the state of Kerala in 1978. Later, in 1982, it was declared a national park. Today, Periyar is one of the most exciting biosphere reserves in the country with a large variety of flora and fauna.

The Periyar National Park is synonymous with elephants and one cannot be thought of without the other. Herds of playful wild elephants have made Periyar Lake their favourite haunt for frolicking in the water. Scores of them can be witnessed bathing and swimming here. The Indian female elephants do not posses tusks like their African relatives. They are also not as swarthy as their African counterparts. Other inhabitants of Periyar include the leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur or Indian bison, wild boar, and sloth bear. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports. The tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are elusive creatures.

Amidst the rocky hinges along the lake, monitor lizards may be spotted. Trekkers have also sighted pythons, king cobras, and flying lizards. Some 260 species of birds are found at Periyar. These include darters, cormorants, ibises, grey herons, mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons, kingfishers, kites, ospreys, thrushes, and an appreciable number of blue-winged parakeets. The endangered macaque monkey is also a special attraction of Periyar.

The months of March and April constitute the driest part of the year, because of which the animals spend a lot of time near the lake. Even the tiger may be spotted approaching the waters. Animals may be seen from motorboats on the lake or from watchtowers. A special permission is required to travel by boat to the source of the artificial lake, the River Periyar. This area is generally not open for tourists, but is the favourite haunt of the sloth bear. There is a good chance of spotting an occasional tiger in this relatively peaceful corner of the forest. One can also form a group and go on a walking tour with locally available guides.

Area Wildlife Sanctuary

777 sq km

Best time to visit

December to May

Prominent fauna

Elephant, tiger, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, nilgiri tahr, wild dog, porcupine, lion-tailed macaque, Malabar squirrel, flying squirrel, sloth bear, gaur.