Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary / Thekkady
Located by the side of the river Periyar, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is the main attraction of Thekkady and it is 25 km away from the plantation bungalow. Spread over an area of about 777 sq km with about 360 sq. km of which is thick evergreen forest, the sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. However, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary can also be recognized as one of the natural treasure houses of some of the rare species of flora and fauna. The flora of the park includes over flowering plants, grass species, species of orchids and the only South Indian conifer Podocarpus Wallichianus. Apart from the tigers, the fauna of the park includes wild elephant, gaur, sambar deer, wild boar, Nilgir Tahr, lion-tailed macaque, bonnet macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, flying squirrel, tiger, jungle cat, sloth bear, hornbill, stork, woodpecker, kingfisher, raptor, cormorant, grackle, darter, cobra, viper, krait, monitor lizards, frogs, toads, masheer (famous and endangered game fish of India) and otter. The greatest attraction of Periyar remains the large herds of wild elephants that come down to the lake's edge.
