Thursday, 26 May 2011

Rajamalai National Park (Eravikulam National Park)

The Eravikulam National Park was created to preserve the Nilgiri Tahr, a rare species of the wild goats found only in the south of the Himalayas.

This park is abundantly rich with shola forests and grasses, and is yet fairly new as it was after construction in 1978. The park is sited in the Idukki district. It is located on the borders of Kerala and Tamilnadu.

The history says that during the British rule, this region was owned by Rajamalai and Eravikulam, and then it was given to Kannan Deven Hills for tea plantation. Later it was declared as sanctuary and was founded in 1975 and upgraded as national park in 1978.

Some of the animals spotted here are Elephant, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri marten, small-clawed otter and a rare tiger or leopard and the Nilgiri wood pigeon.