Wildlife in Kerala : Silent Valley National Park - 72

This park is situated 40 kms. from Mannarkad, in the northeastern corner of Palakkad district. The Silent Valley National Park is perhaps the closest to a virgin forest in the entire Western ghats. It is home to India's last substantial stretch of tropical evergreen rain forest, and a large number of wild animals, thanks to its difficult terrain and remoteness.

The valley has a fair representation of all peninsular mammals such as lion-tailed macaque. Nilgiri langur, bonnet macaque, tiger, leopard cat, fishing cat, common palm civet, small Indian civet, brown palm civet, ruddy mongoose, stripe necked mongoose, wild dog, sloth bear, otter, flying squirrel, malabar gaint squirrel, Indian pangolin (scaly ant eater), porcupine, wild boar, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, gaur and elephant. And over 170 species of avi fauna have ben recorded of which 31 are migrants. Rare species such as Indian black-crested baza, Bonelis hawk eagle, rufous bellied hawk eagle, shaheen falcon, short eared owl, peninsular scops owl, Ceylon frog moth, great Indian hornbill, Nilgiri laughing thrush, house martin, rufous bellied shortwing. Malay bittern etc. are also found here. Also found are more than 100 species of butterflies an d400 species of moths. Quite a few of them are extremely rare and endemic.

Where to stay:

Rest House of the Forest department.

How to get there:

Nearest bus station: Mannarkad (32 kms.). Nearest airport: Coimbatore (115 kms.)

Contact:

The Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram - 695014, Telefax: 0471-322217.

The Wildlife Warden, Silent Valley National Park, Mannarkad P.O., Palakkad District, Tel. : 04924 - 22056.

Related Links :

01. Nature and WildLife of India : WildLife Protection Act 1972 - 1
02. Wildlife in Jammu and Kashmir - 2
03. Corbett National Park (Project Tiger) : Wildlife in Uttaranchal - 3
04. Rajaji National Park - 4
05. Wildlife in Uttar Pradesh : Dudhwa National Park - 5
06. Wildlife in Rajasthan : Bharatpur National Park - 6
07. Wildlife in Rajasthan : Ranthambore National Park (Project Tiger) - 7
08. Wildlife in Rajasthan : Sariska Tiger Reserve - 8
09. Wildlife in Gujarat : Gir National Park and Sanctuary - 9
10. Wild Ass Sanctuary - 10
11. Wildlife in Madhya Pradesh : Bandhavgarh National Park - 11
12. Wildlife in Madhya Pradesh : Kanha National Park - 12
13. Wildlife in Bihar : Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary - 13
14. Wildlife in Jharkhand : Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary - 14
15. Wildlife in Jharkhand : Palmau Tiger Reserve - 15
16. Wildlife in Jharkhand : Topchanchi Wildlife Sanctuary - 16
17. Wildlife in West Bengal : Sunderbans National Park and Tiger Reserve - 17
18. Wildlife in West Bengal : Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary - 18
19. Wildlife in Assam : Manas Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve - 19
20. Wildlife in Assam : Kaziranga National Park - 20
21. Wildlife in Arunachal Pradesh : Namdhapa National Park (Project Tiger) - 21
22. Wildlife in Orissa : Tikarpara Gharial Sanctuary - 22
23. Wildlife in Orissa : Ushakotih Wildlife Sanctuary - 23
24. Wildlife in Orissa : Bhitarkanika Sanctuary - 24
25. Wildlife in Orissa : Similipal Tiger Reserve (Project Tiger) - 25
26. Wildlife in Orissa : Nandankanan Biological Park and Chandka Elephant Reserve - 26
27. Wildlife in Orissa : Chilika Lake - 27
28. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Nehru Zoological Park and Kwala Sanctuary - 28
29. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Pranahita Sanctuary - 29
30. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Pakhal Santuary - 30
31. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Kinnerasani Sanctuary - 31
32. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Papikonda Sanctuary - 32
33. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Coringa Sanctuary - 33
34. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Kolleru Sanctuary - 34
35. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Krishna Sanctuary - 35
36. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Pocharam Sanctuary - 36
37. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Manjira Sanctuary and Nagarjunasagar - Srisailam Sanctuary (Project Tiger) - 37
38. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Rollapadu Sanctuary - 38
39. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Gunda Brahmeswaram Sanctuary - 39
40. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Sri Lankamalleswara Sanctuary - 40
41. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Pulicat Sanctuary - 41
42. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Kaundinya Sanctuary (Project Elephant) - 42
43. Wildlife in Andhra Pradesh : Sri Venkateswara Sanctuary and National Park - 43
44. Wildlife in Karnataka : Bandipur National Park (Project Tiger) - 44
45. Wildlife in Karnataka : Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary - 45
46. Wildlife in Karnataka : Bhimeshwari Wildlife Sanctuary - 46
47. Wildlife in Karnataka : Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary - 47
48. Wildlife in Karnataka - Nagarhole National Park - 48
49. Wildlife in Karnataka : Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary - 49
50. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Anamali Wildlife Sanctuary (Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctaury) - 50
51. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park - 51
52. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Mukkurthi National Park - 52
53. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Kalakkadu Wildlife Sanctuary (Project Tiger) - 53
54. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Mundanthurai Sanctuary - 54
55. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary - 55
56. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary - 56
57. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Guindy National Park - 57
58. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary - 58
59. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Vallanadu Black Buck Santuary - 59
60. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Vedanthangal and Karikili Bird Sanctuaries - 60
61. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Arinagar Anna Zoological Park, Chennai - 61
62. Wildlife in Tamilnadu : Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park - 62
63. Wildlife in Kerala : Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary - 63
64. Wildlife in Kerala : Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary - 64
65. Wildlife in Kerala : Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Thekkady) - 65
66. Wildlife in Kerala : Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary - 66
67. Wildlife in Kerala : Eravikulam National Park - 67
68. Wildlife in Kerala : Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary - 68
69. Wildlife in Kerala : Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary - 69
70. Wildlife in Kerala : Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary - 70
71. Wildlife in Kerala : Pecchi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary - 71