Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam national park is located in the Eravikulam and Idukki districts of the Kerala. It is situated in the Western ghats. The national park is famous for Nilgiri Tahr. It has the largest population of Nilgiri Tahr.
Another specialty of Eravikulam national park is the flower that blooms in every 12 years. The name of the flower is Neelakurinji. The national park also takes the name after this magical flower that blooms in this region only.
Kerala government took control of this region in 1971. Before that Kenan Devan Hills Produce Company had the authority over the land. In 1975 the government declared the region as Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. The decision was taken to protect the habitat of endangered species Nilgiri Tahr. Then in 1978 the region was declared National park.
FACTS ABOUT ERAVIKULAM NATIONAL PARK
• It is located in the Devikulam Taluk of Kerala's Idukki District, in the Southern Western Ghats' High Ranges (Kannan Devan Hills).
• It covers 97 square kilometres and is home to South India's tallest peak, Anamudi (2695 m), in its southern region.
• The park's Rajamalai section is open to the public for tourism.
• The park's main area is made up of a high rolling plateau (a plateau with changing elevations or heights) with a base elevation of roughly 2000 metres above sea level.
• Grasslands, Shrub Land, and Shola Forests are the three major plant species present in the park (mosaic of montane evergreen forests and grasslands).
• The park protects the Western Ghats' biggest and least damaged length of unique Montane Shola-Grassland vegetation.
• It serves as a catchment area for both east-flowing rivers (tributaries of the Pambar) and west-flowing rivers (tributaries of the Periyar and Chalakkudy).
• Locally, it is critical for preserving the climate as well as providing drinking water and irrigation to the adjacent estates.
• The park is close to the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Pampadum Shola National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park, Kurinjimala Sanctuary, and Anamalai Tiger Reserve, which are all nearby.
• The park is home to 26 species of animals, including the biggest surviving population of Nilgiri tahr, estimated to number around 750.
• Lion-tailed macaques, Indian muntjac, gaur and sambar deer are the other animals found in the national park. The principal predators are the golden jackal, wild dog, jungle cat, dhole, leopard, and tiger.
• Nilgiri langur, Indian porcupine, stripe-necked mongoose, Nilgiri marten, reddish mongoose, little clawed otter, and dusky palm squirrel are among the lesser-known species present here. Elephants come to the park on a regular basis.
• The black-and-orange flycatcher, Nilgiri pipit, Nilgiri wood pigeon, white bellied shortwing, Nilgiri flycatcher, and Kerala laughingthrush are among the 132 bird species documented.
• The park is home to 101 species of endemic butterflies like the red disc bushbrown and Palni fourring, which are only found in the shola-grassland habitat.
• The Park contains three major types of plant communities: grasslands, shrublands, and woods. Grasslands cover most of the region above 2000 metres.
• Along the cliffs' bases, shrub lands can be seen. Shola forests can be found in the valleys and folds of the mountains. Turner's Valley is the deepest, dividing the Park nearly in half from northwest to southeast.