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Graduate Level intermediate Kerala Wildlife National Parks Wildlife Sanctuaries Biodiversity
Kerala Wildlife, National Parks & Sanctuaries — Complete PSC Guide
All 6 national parks, 17 wildlife sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, and key species of Kerala for PSC exams.
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📋 At a glance
— All 6 national parks, 17 wildlife sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, and key species of Kerala for PSC exams.
#Kerala Wildlife
#National Parks
#Wildlife Sanctuaries
#Biodiversity
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Kerala’s wildlife and protected areas are tested in every PSC exam — expect 2-5 questions. You must know all 6 national parks by name, location, and speciality. This note is your complete reference.
Kerala — Biodiversity Snapshot
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Western Ghats | UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012); one of the world’s 8 “hottest hotspots” of biodiversity |
| Forest cover | ~54% of Kerala’s geographical area (among the highest in India) |
| National Parks | 6 |
| Wildlife Sanctuaries | 17 |
| Bird Sanctuaries | Several (Kumarakom, Thattekkad, Mangalavanam, Pathiramanal) |
| Biosphere Reserves | Part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (India’s first, 1986) and Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO, 2016) |
All 6 National Parks of Kerala
| # | National Park | District | Area (km²) | Speciality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eravikulam | Idukki | 97 | Nilgiri Tahr (endangered mountain goat); Anamudi peak (2,695m — highest peak in South India); Neelakurinji blooms (once in 12 years) |
| 2 | Periyar | Idukki | 350 | Tiger Reserve (Project Tiger, 1978); Periyar Lake (artificial, built by Mullaperiyar dam); elephant herds |
| 3 | Silent Valley | Palakkad | 237 | Undisturbed tropical rainforest; Lion-tailed macaque; saved from hydroelectric project by public movement (1970s-80s); Kunthipuzha river flows through |
| 4 | Anamudi Shola | Idukki | 7.5 | Shola grassland ecosystem; protects high-altitude shola patches |
| 5 | Mathikettan Shola | Idukki | 12.8 | Shola forest; endemic species; name means “forest where one gets lost” |
| 6 | Pampadum Shola | Idukki | 1.3 | Smallest national park in Kerala (and one of the smallest in India); shola-grassland |
PSC memory trick: All 6 national parks — “E-P-S-A-M-P” = Eravikulam, Periyar, Silent Valley, Anamudi Shola, Mathikettan Shola, Pampadum Shola. Note: 4 out of 6 are in Idukki district. Only Silent Valley is in Palakkad.
Critical Facts PSC Repeats
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Highest peak in South India? | Anamudi (2,695m) — in Eravikulam NP |
| Nilgiri Tahr habitat? | Eravikulam NP |
| Neelakurinji blooms once in? | 12 years (next: 2030, last: 2018) |
| Lion-tailed macaque sanctuary? | Silent Valley NP |
| Which NP was saved from a dam project? | Silent Valley |
| Periyar Lake is artificial — built by? | Mullaperiyar Dam (1895) |
Major Wildlife Sanctuaries (17 Total)
| Sanctuary | District | Key Species/Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Wayanad | Wayanad | Part of Nilgiri Biosphere; elephants, tigers; connected to Bandipur & Nagarhole |
| Parambikulam | Palakkad | Tiger Reserve; Kannimara Teak (oldest teak tree in the world, ~350-400 years old) |
| Chinnar | Idukki | Grizzled giant squirrel; thorn forests; star tortoise |
| Idukki | Idukki | Near Idukki arch dam |
| Peechi-Vazhani | Thrissur | Near Peechi Dam |
| Neyyar | Thiruvananthapuram | Neyyar Dam; crocodile rehabilitation; lion safari park |
| Peppara | Thiruvananthapuram | Peppara Dam; lion-tailed macaque |
| Shendurney | Kollam | Part of Agasthyamala BR; rare orchids |
| Aralam | Kannur | Northernmost wildlife sanctuary in Kerala |
| Chimmony | Thrissur | Near Chimmony Dam |
| Thattekad Bird Sanctuary | Ernakulam | ”Birdwatching capital of India” (Salim Ali); richest bird habitat in peninsular India |
| Mangalavanam | Ernakulam (Kochi) | Smallest bird sanctuary; mangrove wetland in the heart of Kochi city |
| Malabar | Kozhikode | Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Kottiyoor | Kannur | Near Kottiyoor temple |
| Kurinjimala | Idukki | Neelakurinji conservation |
| Choolannur Peafowl Sanctuary | Palakkad | Peafowl (peacock) conservation |
| Karimpuzha | Malappuram | Nilgiri langur, Malabar giant squirrel |
Parambikulam = Kannimara Teak (world’s oldest teak). This is an extremely common PSC question. Also: Aralam = northernmost sanctuary in Kerala.
Bird Sanctuaries
| Sanctuary | District | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Thattekkad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) | Ernakulam | Called the “richest bird habitat in peninsular India” by Dr. Salim Ali |
| Kumarakom | Kottayam | On Vembanad Lake; migratory birds; egrets, herons, cormorants |
| Mangalavanam | Ernakulam | Mangrove bird sanctuary inside Kochi city |
| Pathiramanal | Alappuzha | Island in Vembanad Lake; migratory birds |
| Choolannur | Palakkad | Peafowl sanctuary |
Biosphere Reserves Covering Kerala
| Biosphere Reserve | States | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu | India’s first biosphere reserve (1986); UNESCO World Network (2000); includes Wayanad WLS, Mudumalai, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Silent Valley |
| Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | UNESCO World Network (2016); Agasthyakoodam peak (1,868m); Neyyar, Peppara, Shendurney sanctuaries |
Nilgiri BR = India’s first biosphere reserve (1986). Agasthyamala BR = UNESCO recognition in 2016. Both are PSC favourites.
Tiger Reserves in Kerala
| Tiger Reserve | District | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Periyar | Idukki | Declared Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1978 |
| Parambikulam | Palakkad | Declared Tiger Reserve in 2010 |
Elephant Reserves
| Reserve | Districts |
|---|---|
| Wayanad | Wayanad |
| Nilambur | Malappuram |
| Anamudi | Idukki |
| Periyar | Idukki |
Key Species — Kerala Context
| Species | Where in Kerala | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nilgiri Tahr | Eravikulam NP | Endangered; ~2,500 remaining; State Animal of Kerala |
| Lion-tailed Macaque | Silent Valley, Peppara | Endangered; endemic to Western Ghats |
| Malabar Giant Squirrel | Throughout Western Ghats in Kerala | Near Threatened |
| Great Hornbill | Kerala forests | State Bird of Kerala |
| Indian Elephant | Periyar, Wayanad, Parambikulam | Endangered |
| Nilgiri Langur | High ranges | Vulnerable |
| Grizzled Giant Squirrel | Chinnar WLS | Endangered |
State symbols: State Animal = Nilgiri Tahr. State Bird = Great Hornbill (Vezhambal). State Tree = Coconut Palm. State Flower = Kanikonna (Golden Shower/Cassia fistula).
Wetlands and Ramsar Sites
| Site | District | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Vembanad-Kol Wetland | Kottayam-Alappuzha-Ernakulam | Longest lake in India (~96 km); Ramsar Site (2002); Kumarakom bird sanctuary on its banks |
| Ashtamudi Lake | Kollam | Ramsar Site (2002); “Gateway to the backwaters” |
| Sasthamkotta Lake | Kollam | Largest freshwater lake in Kerala; Ramsar Site (2002) |
Quick Recall
- How many National Parks in Kerala? → 6
- Highest peak in South India? → Anamudi (2,695m)
- India’s first Biosphere Reserve? → Nilgiri (1986)
- Oldest teak tree in the world? → Kannimara Teak, Parambikulam
- State animal of Kerala? → Nilgiri Tahr
- State bird of Kerala? → Great Hornbill
- Longest lake in India? → Vembanad Lake
- Birdwatching capital of India (Salim Ali)? → Thattekkad
- NP saved from dam project? → Silent Valley
- Neelakurinji blooming cycle? → 12 years
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