Periyar-Nationalpark
Periyar is a wildlife sanctuary, national park and tiger reserve in the South Indian state of Kerala in the mountains of the Western Ghats at the border to Tamil Nadu. It lies in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta. The protected area covers an area of 777 km ², of which a 350 km ² was declared a large part of the core zone of the National Park. Frequently also the name of the in- ground resort Thekkady is managed as other synonyms. Thekkady is located around 100 km as the crow east of Alappuzha, 110 km west of Madurai and almost 120 km south-east of Kochi.
Within the National Park is 26 km ² Periyar dam and the namesake for National Park and Lake Periyar river, which rises in the Western Ghats and flows after 244 km into the Arabian Sea.
Site
The Periyar sanctuary is located in the mountains of the Western Ghats. In the north and east it is bordered by over 1700 meter high mountain ranges that run down to the west in a vast, an average of 1,200 meters high plateau. From this level the terrain drops steeply to the deepest point, the 100 meter high valley of the river Pamba. The highest peak is 2019 meters high Kottamalai.
Climate
Temperatures vary according to altitude between 15 degrees Celsius in December and January and 31 degrees Celsius in April and May. The annual rainfall is between 2000 and 3000 mm. Two-thirds of the rain falling during the southwest monsoon from June to September. Weaker rainfall occurs during the northeast monsoon from October to December. From mid-April to early June have occasional Vormonsunschauern.
Vegetation
About 75 percent of the total protected area is covered by pristine evergreen or semi- evergreen rain forest. There are typically high-growing tropical tree species such as Vateria indica, Cullenia exarillata, Hopea parviflora, Canarium strictum, Artocarpus hirsutus and Bischofia javanica. You can reach heights of 40 to 50 meters. Among growing medium, 15 to 30 meter high trees and smaller, up to 15 meters high tree species, such as Thottea siliquosa. The trees are bewuchert of epiphytes such as orchids, aroids, mosses and ferns.
Nearly 13 percent consist of deciduous moist forest, 7 percent of eucalyptus plantations and 1.5 percent of grassland. The remainder ( 3.5 percent ) of the protected area is occupied by the Periyar Dam as well as the rivers Periyar and Pamba.
Overall, the reserve has nearly 2000 species of angiosperms, three types of gymnosperms and 170 different ferns. Among the angiosperms are the families of sweet grasses with 168, 155 and legumes with orchids with 145 representatives of the most common.
About 350 of the plant species can be used for medicinal purposes.
Wildlife
Mammals
A total of 62 different mammal species have been recorded in Periyar, including a number of endangered species. The most famous is probably the Bengal Tiger, but of which live on account of its large grounds and his preference for less densely vegetated habitats only 35 to 40 individuals in the park. In Periyar about 900 to 1,000 elephants, gaur, Sambars (horse deer ), Nilgiri Tahre, mongooses, otters and macaques live. Occasionally also roam Indian leopards by Periyar.
So far, 320 different species have been recorded in Periyar, including grip, water, chicken, pigeon, woodpecker, Rhino, parrots, and passerines, as well as some others. Most spectacular is sure of up to 1.50 meters long, bright colored hornbill.
Reptiles ( reptiles )
Among the 45 species of reptiles of the nature reserve, there are 30 snakes, 13 lizards and two species of turtles. Among the poisonous snakes living in Periyar include, inter alia, the king cobra and Russel's viper. Frequently occurring lizards are lizards, geckos and lizards nice.
Amphibians ( Anura )
Of all the vertebrates in Periyar is known about the amphibians occurring at least. There 27 different species have been recorded, of which ten are located exclusively in the Western Ghats.
Pisces
In the waters of the animal reserve, 38 species of fish, including four endemic to the Western Ghats live. The reservoir also two imported from other regions of fish occur: originally from Africa and tilapia imported to colonial European carp.
Invertebrates
On the occurrence of invertebrates only a few studies have been performed. Most commonly, arthropods (especially insects), annelids and molluscs. Noteworthy is the variety of butterflies, of which there are about 160 different species in Periyar.
History
In 1895 the British colonial rulers accumulated on the Periyar River to a 26 -acre reservoir to irrigate areas in today's state of Tamil Nadu can. The area around the reservoir was adjusted in 1934 due to its pristine forest land and the remarkable biodiversity conservation area. In 1950 it was expanded to its current size of 777 km ² and declared a wildlife sanctuary ( Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary ). Since 1978 it is also one of the now 28 tiger reserves in India (as of 2004/ 05). A considerable part of its core zone was given the status of a national park in 1982.
The water of the reservoir is used by both Tamil Nadu and Kerala for irrigation and power generation. After a small earthquake in 1979 led water withdrawals to doubt the safety of the dam of 1895. Between the two states, there ensued a dispute with regard to the water level and the questions of a gain or a new building of the dam, which until the top Indian Court ( Supreme Court ) have been worn and are still not settled until today.
Stranger and pilgrim traffic
In the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary gentler eco-tourism is operated. A 430 km ² core area, including the 350 km ² national park, is not accessible to visitors. Under the expert guidance of former poachers, who now work for the preservation of the park, there is the opportunity to book two and three day tours within the core zone. A maximum of five tourists per tour stay in tents within a camp which provides by a deep moat protecting against " uninvited guests ". Within the protection zone of 55 square miles a comprehensive tourism zone was established, which mainly includes the banks and the edges of the lake. There are boat trips, where you can, especially during the dry season, many animals to observe, that come to drink from the lake basin. The boat capsized when all the passengers were at the same time to the same side of the boat to watch a herd of elephants - During such a trip is on October 1, 2009, accident in which 45 people were killed occurred. Besides boating are other activities such as guided jungle hikes, treks or rides on bamboo rafts in the tourist offer. On the site there is also a museum which informs about living in and around the park adivasi tribes.
In the south, the protection zone is the well-known Hindu Sabarimala Temple, which is only open a few days a year for pilgrims. The approximately four million pilgrims annually cause a significant amount of waste, which tries to cope with the management of the protected area with the help of various measures to increase the environmental awareness of the pilgrims. Another Hindu temple in the north of the protected area is Mangala Devi dedicated to this temple, access is only allowed by appointment and on the occasion of Chitra Pournami festival in a single day in the year.