Periyar National Park

Highlights

• Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area located in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India.
• It is a renowned elephant and tiger reserve.
• The protected area encompasses 925 km2 (357 mi2), of which 350.54 km2 (135.34 mi2) of the main zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982.
• The park is a repository of rare, endemic, and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala: the Periyar and the Pamba.
• The park is located high in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the south Western Ghats along the border with Tamil Nadu.

Dress Code

Modest, respectful clothing is expected at this site.

History

• •The first official action towards the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in Kerala was taken in 1934 by the Maharaja of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, by declaring the forests around Periyar lake as a private reserve to stop the encroachment of tea plantations.
• •It was founded as Nellikkampatty Reserve.
• •It was consolidated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1950 after the political integration of India.
• •The sanctuary was included in Project Tiger, a Central Government initiative, and was renamed the Periyar Tiger Reserve in 1978.

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