Kerala Wildlife

A large Indian wildlife book, start to finish, could take one to two years. But it could not satisfy my thirst to explore the divine greens and click the rarest & endangered species of animals / birds in India. All I really wanted to do was wildlife photography. I feel like I’m nothing without wildlife. They are the stars. I feel awkward without them.

And then I booked my tickets to Kerala – God’s own country. This was the ideal place where I could find the most exciting wildlife patters flourished amongst soothing greens and serene waterways. It was a two day journey by train, so I bought Kerala travel guide along with me. Those two days I kept on reading about Kerala wildlife and its enchanting elements.

The first place I came across was Periyar Tiger Reserve. Easily accessible from Madurai, Trivandrum, Cochin and Thekkady – Periyar is one of the most prestigious regions on the high ranges of the Western Ghats. Tranquil countryside, rich plantations, thick jungles and much more – I could imagine the true beauty of this fascinating natural wildlife sanctuary. Kerala vacation guide says that Periyar comprises of 171 grass species, 143 orchid species, 35 mammal species and over 265 avifauna species. That was a true love without any sight, where I lost my soul to the diverse geomorphology, wildlife and beautiful landscapes of Kerala.

Later, Kerala travel guide transported me to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, the second habitat of the endangered giant squirrel in India. Located in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats, the sanctuary occupies the forested region on either side of the Marayoor – Udumalped Road. Elephants, Gaurs, Spotted Deers, Panthers, Sambars, Hanuman Langurs & Rabbits can also be easily spotted here.

Later I came to know that Eravikulam National Park, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary are some other ideal places to visit if you are a wildlife lover. These wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala are so well nurtured by the divine nature that one will surely surrender his spirit. And after two days – I was there at Trivandrum railway station – all set to explore the virgin beauty of this charming state.

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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

My insight love for exotic wild creatures and birds was the cause that drove me to the divine dense greens of Periyar. Such places have always fascinated me somewhere in my dreams. “Indian Wildlife” by Rajesh Bedi and Ramesh Bedi had created a great impact on me. So the story continues with my arrival in Idukki district in Kerala that is bordered by the picturesque Western Ghats.

The moment I stepped in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the 27 Project Tiger Reserves in India, the first thing I came across was the rich vegetation that was incomparable. While going through the Periyar Travel Guide, I came to know that this paradise is located about 270 km from the capital, Thiruvananthapuram, 100 km from Alleppey and 120 km from Cochin. Stretching over 777 sq km, the dense greens of Periyar are home to about 60 different species of mammals and 320 different categories of birds.

I spend around four exciting hours there and enjoyed clicking some of the rarest animals like Lion Tailed Macaque, Malabar Squirrel and Sloth Bear. Next I headed for the lifeline of Kerala – the gigantic Periyar River (the longest in Kerala with 244 km length). Luckily I got an opportunity to click Elephants, Sambars, Dholes (Indian Wild Dogs) and Nilgiri Langurs alongside the river.

Finally, when my jungle safari was over after a half day trip, I visited the beautiful Cardamom Hills. This was the time when I enjoyed the best of nature walk of my entire life and realized that Periyar is not restricted to safaris only. Walking through the aromatic cardamom, pepper and coffee plantations was beyond words!

On my way back to the hotel, I spent half an hour in the market street but unluckily it does not offer much except its exotic spices. Even then, I bought some fine quality pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mace and anise – as my mom loves to try new dishes with spices of different flavours – and who else than me bear the brunt of those experiments!

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