National Parks of Kerala
Mar 2020|🟡Review|4 min read|63 entries
Key Takeaway
Anational park is a vast area of land protected by the Indian Government under theCategory II of IUCN Protected Areas where human activities like forestry, poaching, hunting, grazing, cultivation, ...
National Parks of Kerala(63)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| National Parks of KeralaThere are6 national parksin Kerala which are as follows :NameDistrictYear of FormationEravikulam National ParkIdukki1978Periyar National ParkIdukki &Pathanamthitta1982Silent Valley National ParkPalakkad1984Mathikettan Shola National ParkIdukki2003Anamudi Shola National ParkIdukki2003Pampadum Shola National ParkIdukki2004Basic FactsNo. of National Parks in Kerala | 6 |
| First National Park of Kerala | Eravikulam |
| Largest National Park in Kerala | Periyar National Park(Area:305 km²).for PSC–Eravikulam(Area:97 km²).*Smallest National Park of Kerala –Pambadum Shola |
| Latest National Park in Kerala | Pambadum Shola |
| District with most no. of National Parks | Idukki(5) |
| Eravikulam National ParkLocation | Devikulam taluk(Idukki) |
| Area | 97 sq. km |
| Highest Peak in Eravikulam National Park | Anamudi (2695 metres) |
| The highest peak in South India | Anamudi |
| The highest peak south of the Himalayas | Anamudi |
| Tourism Zone | Rajamala tourism zone |
| Protected Species | Neelakurinji flowers,Nilgiri Tahr |
| Neelakurinji | the flower that blooms once every twelve years |
| Last bloom occurred in | 2018, next expected in 2030* |
| The scientific name of Neelakurinji | Strobilanthes kunthiana |
| The scientific name of Nilgiri Tahr | Nilgiritragus hylocrius |
| Rivers | Chinnar & Pambar |
| Waterfalls | Attukad Waterfalls, Chinnar Waterfalls, Lakkom Waterfalls, Nyayamakad Waterfalls.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012) |
| Silent Valley National ParkLocation | Nilgiri hills, Mannarcaud Taluk(Palakkad) |
| Established in | 1980 |
| Declared as National Park in | 1984.by thethen Prime Minister Indira Gandhi |
| Declared as Buffer Zone in | June 11, 2007 |
| Core Area | 89.52sq. km |
| Buffer Zone | 148sq. km |
| The name'Silent Valley'was suggested by | Robert Wright(1847) |
| Inaugurated by | Rajiv Gandhi(then Prime Minister, September 7, 1985).included in the core area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in – September 1, 1986 |
| The highest peak in the Nilgiri Hills | Doddabetta (2,637 m) |
| The highest peak in Silent Valley National Park | Anginda Peak (2,383 m) |
| Protected Species | Lion-tailed macaque |
| The scientific name of Lion-tailed macaque | Macaque silanus |
| Presence ofLion-tailed macaque(mainly fruit eaters)is due to the presence of | Vediplavu(Cullenia exarillata) |
| Famous due to the total absence ofchirping of | Cicadas(Hence the name "Silent Valley") |
| The only river of Kerala that flows through thevirgin forestof Silent Valley National Park for more than 20 km | Kunthipuzha |
| Kunthi Puzha | Location – Mannarkkad Taluk(Palakkad) |
| Tributaries | Karingathodu, Valiaparathodu, Madrimaranthodu, Kunthancholapuzha & Kummaathanthodu |
| River originating from Silent Valley National Park | Thuthapuzha |
| Tribal people | Irula, Kurumba, Muduga & Kattu Naiken.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012) |
| Periyar National ParkLocation | Cardamom Hills |
| Rivers flowing through Periyar National Park | Periyar(Periyar Tiger Reserve)&Pamba |
| Protected Species | White Tigers |
| Anamudi Shola National ParkLocation | Devikulam taluk(Idukki) |
| Area | 42.68 Sq. Km |
| Rivers | Pambar.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012) |
| Mathikettan SholaLocation | Pooppara village, Udumbanchola Taluk(Idukki) |
| Area | 12.82Â Sq. Km |
| The largest shola forest in Kerala | Mathikettan Shola |
| Rivers | Uchilikuthipuzha, Mathikettanpuzha & Njandar (tributaries of Panniyar).UNESCO World Heritage site (2012) |
| Pampadum SholaLocation | Marayoor village(Idukki) |
| Area | 11.753 Sq. Km |
| Tribal people | Muthuvan, Hill Pulaya |
| Rivers | Pambar |
| Flora | Pambadum Shola Orchid (Cymbidium wightii), Neelakurinji.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012).📝 Read More:Wildlife Sanctuaries of Kerala.* subjective to changes.📝SideNotes:Forest Conservation Rules were formulated in – 1972 |
| First National Park in India | Hailey National Park(1936) |
| Hailey National Park is later renamed as | Jim Corbett National Park(Uttarakhand) |
| Largest National Park in India | Hemis National Park(Jammu & Kashmir, 4400 sq.km.) |
| Smallest National Park in India | South Button Island(Andaman Nicobar, 2 sq.km.) |
| The state animal of Tamil Nadu | Nilgiri Tahr |
| Nickname of Nilgiri Tahr | Mountain Monarch |
| District of Kerala which was devoid of any protected forest land until 2013 | Alappuzha |
| Smallest protected area in Kerala situated near Kochi | Mangalavanam |
| Lungs of Kochi | Mangalavanam |
| Dakshina Bhageerathi | Pamba |
| River Baris | Pamba |
National Parks of KeralaThere are6 national parksin Kerala which are as follows :NameDistrictYear of FormationEravikulam National ParkIdukki1978Periyar National ParkIdukki &Pathanamthitta1982Silent Valley National ParkPalakkad1984Mathikettan Shola National ParkIdukki2003Anamudi Shola National ParkIdukki2003Pampadum Shola National ParkIdukki2004Basic FactsNo. of National Parks in Kerala
6
First National Park of Kerala
Eravikulam
Largest National Park in Kerala
Periyar National Park(Area:305 km²).for PSC–Eravikulam(Area:97 km²).*Smallest National Park of Kerala –Pambadum Shola
Latest National Park in Kerala
Pambadum Shola
District with most no. of National Parks
Idukki(5)
Eravikulam National ParkLocation
Devikulam taluk(Idukki)
Area
97 sq. km
Highest Peak in Eravikulam National Park
Anamudi (2695 metres)
The highest peak in South India
Anamudi
The highest peak south of the Himalayas
Anamudi
Tourism Zone
Rajamala tourism zone
Protected Species
Neelakurinji flowers,Nilgiri Tahr
Neelakurinji
the flower that blooms once every twelve years
Last bloom occurred in*
2018, next expected in 2030
The scientific name of Neelakurinji
Strobilanthes kunthiana
The scientific name of Nilgiri Tahr
Nilgiritragus hylocrius
Rivers
Chinnar & Pambar
Waterfalls
Attukad Waterfalls, Chinnar Waterfalls, Lakkom Waterfalls, Nyayamakad Waterfalls.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012)
Silent Valley National ParkLocation
Nilgiri hills, Mannarcaud Taluk(Palakkad)
Established in
1980
Declared as National Park in
1984.by thethen Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Declared as Buffer Zone in
June 11, 2007
Core Area
89.52sq. km
Buffer Zone
148sq. km
The name'Silent Valley'was suggested by
Robert Wright(1847)
Inaugurated by
Rajiv Gandhi(then Prime Minister, September 7, 1985).included in the core area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in – September 1, 1986
The highest peak in the Nilgiri Hills
Doddabetta (2,637 m)
The highest peak in Silent Valley National Park
Anginda Peak (2,383 m)
Protected Species
Lion-tailed macaque
The scientific name of Lion-tailed macaque
Macaque silanus
Presence ofLion-tailed macaque(mainly fruit eaters)is due to the presence of
Vediplavu(Cullenia exarillata)
Famous due to the total absence ofchirping of
Cicadas(Hence the name "Silent Valley")
The only river of Kerala that flows through thevirgin forestof Silent Valley National Park for more than 20 km
Kunthipuzha
Kunthi Puzha
Location – Mannarkkad Taluk(Palakkad)
Tributaries
Karingathodu, Valiaparathodu, Madrimaranthodu, Kunthancholapuzha & Kummaathanthodu
River originating from Silent Valley National Park
Thuthapuzha
Tribal people
Irula, Kurumba, Muduga & Kattu Naiken.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012)
Periyar National ParkLocation
Cardamom Hills
Rivers flowing through Periyar National Park
Periyar(Periyar Tiger Reserve)&Pamba
Protected Species
White Tigers
Anamudi Shola National ParkLocation
Devikulam taluk(Idukki)
Area
42.68 Sq. Km
Rivers
Pambar.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012)
Mathikettan SholaLocation
Pooppara village, Udumbanchola Taluk(Idukki)
Area
12.82Â Sq. Km
The largest shola forest in Kerala
Mathikettan Shola
Rivers
Uchilikuthipuzha, Mathikettanpuzha & Njandar (tributaries of Panniyar).UNESCO World Heritage site (2012)
Pampadum SholaLocation
Marayoor village(Idukki)
Area
11.753 Sq. Km
Tribal people
Muthuvan, Hill Pulaya
Rivers
Pambar
Flora
Pambadum Shola Orchid (Cymbidium wightii), Neelakurinji.UNESCO World Heritage site (2012).📝 Read More:Wildlife Sanctuaries of Kerala.* subjective to changes.📝SideNotes:Forest Conservation Rules were formulated in – 1972
First National Park in India
Hailey National Park(1936)
Hailey National Park is later renamed as
Jim Corbett National Park(Uttarakhand)
Largest National Park in India
Hemis National Park(Jammu & Kashmir, 4400 sq.km.)
Smallest National Park in India
South Button Island(Andaman Nicobar, 2 sq.km.)
The state animal of Tamil Nadu
Nilgiri Tahr
Nickname of Nilgiri Tahr
Mountain Monarch
District of Kerala which was devoid of any protected forest land until 2013
Alappuzha
Smallest protected area in Kerala situated near Kochi
Mangalavanam
Lungs of Kochi
Mangalavanam
Dakshina Bhageerathi
Pamba
River Baris
Pamba
* Time-sensitive data — verify for latest information
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