Friday, November 16, 2007

TDY - 031 - Elephant, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

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Elephant, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady.

Altogether 62 different kinds of mammal have been recorded in Periyar, including many threatened ones. Though it's titled a tiger reserve, there are hardly any tigers left in the sanctuary. Tourists also come here to view the Indian elephants in the act of ablution and playfulness by the Periyar lake. The elephant number around 900 to 1000 individuals. Other mammals found here include gaur, sambar (horse deer), barking deer, mouse deer, Dholes (Indian wild dogs), mongoose and leopards. Also inhabiting the park, though rarely seen, are the elusive Nilgiri tahr.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

TDY - 009 - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

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Boating at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Scarcely 13% consists of damp leaves forest, 7% of Eucalyptus plantation and 1.5% of grassland. The remainder of the protected area is covered by the Periyar artificial lake as well as the Periyar River and Pamba rivers.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

TDY - 008 - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

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Boat landing at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Approximately 75% of the entire protected area are covered of unaffected evergreen or semi-evergreen rain forest. There typically tall tropical tree species such as Vateria indica, Cullenia exarillata, Hopea parviflora, Canarium strictum, Artocarpus hirsutus and Bischofia javanica are seen. They reach heights of 40 to 50 Metres.

Monday, November 12, 2007

TDY - 007 - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

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Tourists returning after boating at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

The temperatures vary depending upon the altitude and it ranges between 15° Celsius in December and January and 31° Celsius in April and May. The annual amount of precipitation lies between 2000 and 3000 mm. About two thirds of the precipitation occurs during the southwest monsoon between June to September. A smaller amount of precipitation occurs during the northeast monsoon between October and December.

TDY - 006 - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

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Water level at Periyar lake is at it's maximum after this monsoon season.

The Periyar protected area lies in the middle of a mountainous area of the Cardamom Hills. In the north and the east it is bounded by mountain ridges of over 1700 Meter altitude and toward the west it expands into a 1200 Meter high plateau. From this level the altitude drops steeply to the deepest point of the reserve, the 100 Meter valley of the Pamba River. The highest peak is the 2019 Meter high Kottamalai.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

TDY - 005 - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

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Periyar lake and mountains covered with rain clouds.

The sanctuary surrounds picturesque 26 km² Periyar lake, formed by the building of Mullaperiyar Dam in 1895. This reservoir and the Periyar River meander around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a permanent source of water for the local wildlife.

TDY - 004 - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

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Periyar lake and mountains that accommodates the wildlife sanctuary. View from Tourism Information centre.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Tiger Reserve in 1978. Periyar is a protected area, set high 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 km², out of which a 350 km² part of the core zone was made into the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve. The park is often called by the name Thekkady also. Thekkady is located four km from Kumily town.