Parambikulam Tiger Reserve: Difference between revisions

| name = Parambikulam Tiger Reserve <br> പറമ്പിക്കുളം കടുവാസങ്കേതം

| location = [[Kollengode, Palakkad|Kollengode]] Block, Chittur Taluk, [[Palakkad District]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]

| area = {{convert|285|km2}}

| established = 1973

| visitation_num =86000

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = [http://www.keralaforest.gov.in/html/general/wildlife.htm Kerala Forest Dept.]<br>

'''Parambikulam Tiger Reserve''', which also includes the erstwhile Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is a {{convert|391|km2|mi2|1}}<ref name="Times002">{{citation

|url=http://maillogout.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Parambikulam-Wildlife-sanctuary-to-be-made-Tiger-Reserve/articleshow/5579586.cms

|title=Parambikulam-Wildlife-sanctuary-to-be-made-Tiger-Reserve

|publisher=Time of India

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514180940/http://maillogout.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Parambikulam-Wildlife-sanctuary-to-be-made-Tiger-Reserve/articleshow/5579586.cms

}}</ref> [[Protected areas of India|protected area]] in [[Kollengode, Palakkad|Kollengode]] Block, [[Chittur|Chittur taluk]] in [[Palakkad district]] of [[Kerala]] state, [[South India]]. The wildlife sanctuary, which had an area of {{convert|285|km2|mi2}} was established in 1973. It is in the Sungam range of hills between the [[Anaimalai Hills]] and [[Nelliampathy|Nelliampathy Hills]].<ref>Parambikkulam Forest Development Agency.[http://www.parambikulam.org official website]</ref><ref>Wildlife Institute of India, "''State/UT Wise Details of Protected Areas''" [http://www.wii.gov.in/envis/pa_database/kerala.html ENVIS] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070813104425/http://www.wii.gov.in/envis/pa_database/kerala.html |date=2007-08-13 }}</ref><ref>T R Shankar Raman, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore [http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/hpg/envis/owldoc716.html Rediscovery of the Oriental Bay-Owl] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720091105/http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/hpg/envis/owldoc716.html |date=20 July 2006 }}</ref> Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as part of the Parambikulam [[Tiger Reserve]] on 19 February 2010.<ref name="JR">{{citation

|publisher=The Hindu

| access-date =2008-09-02}}</ref> Including the buffer zone, the tiger reserve has a span of 643.66&nbsp;km². The [[Western Ghats]], Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is under consideration by the [[UNESCO]] World Heritage Committee for selection as a [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="UNESCO" >UNESCO, World Heritage sites, Tentative lists, Western Ghats sub cluster, Niligiris. retrieved 4/20/2007 [https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2103/ World Heritage sites, Tentative lists]</ref> The sanctuary is the home of four different tribes of [[indigenous peoples]] including the [[Kadar people|Kadar]], [[Malasar]], [[Mudugar|Muduvar]] and [[Mala Malasar]] settled in six colonies. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve implements the Participatory Forest Management Scheme (PFMS). People from tribal colonies inside the reserve are engaged as guides for treks and safaris, and are provided employment through various eco-tourism initiatives.<ref>{{Cite news|title = These tribal guides ‘shoot’ for a change|url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/these-tribal-guides-shoot-for-a-change/article7377045.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 2015-07-02|access-date = 2015-08-04|issn = 0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Where tigers, tribes coexist|url = http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/where-tigers-tribes-coexist/article7476001.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 2015-07-29|access-date = 2015-08-04|issn = 0971-751X}}</ref> The tiger reserve hosts many capacity building training programmes conducted by Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation in association with various organisations.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Enforcement agencies gear up to fight wildlife crime in Kerala|url = http://www.wwfindia.org/?14442/Enforcement-agencies-gear-up-to-fight-wildlife-crime-in-Kerala|website = www.wwfindia.org|access-date = 2015-10-20}}</ref>

*'''Reptiles''' Reptiles of very high importance in Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary include: [[king cobra]], [[Plectrurus aureus|Kerala shieldtail]], [[Oligodon|Travancore kukri snake]], [[Lycodon capucinus|Travancore wolf snake]], [[Geoemyda silvatica|Cochin cane turtle]], [[Travancore tortoise]], [[Cnemaspis sisparensis|Indian day gecko]] and [[Draco blanfordii|Western Ghats flying lizard]]. Other important reptiles are [[Indian python|Indian rock python]], [[Malabar pit viper]], [[Travancore tortoise]], [[Hemiphyllodactylus typus|South Indian forest ground gecko]], [[Psammophilus dorsalis|South Indian rock lizard]], [[Eutropis clivicola|mountain skink]], [[mugger crocodile]], [[varanus]], [[Melanochelys trijuga|pond terrapin]], [[chameleon]] and the snakes [[Indian cobra|spectacled cobra]], [[krait]], [[Rhabdophis plumbicolor|green keelback]], [[Atretium schistosum|olivaceous keelback]], western [[rat snake]] and [[Ahaetulla|vine snake]].

*'''Fish''' 47 species of fish are recorded in the Sanctuary of which seven species are listed as endangered and 17 are endemic to Western Ghats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://parambikulam.org/admin/category/Fishes.pdf |format=pdf |publisher=Parambikulam Tiger Reserve |access-date=2014-11-29 |title=Checklist of Fish Fauna |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204151124/http://parambikulam.org/admin/category/Fishes.pdf |archive-date=4 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The sanctuary has a variety of trees mainly [[teak]], [[neem]], [[sandalwood]] and [[rosewood]]. Even the oldest ever teak tree, Kannimara Teak exists here. It is about 450 years old and has a girth of {{convert|6.8|m|ft}} and a height of {{convert|49.5|m|ft}}. It won the Mahavriksha Puraskar given by the Indian Government. Haplothismia exannulata is a rare species of mycotrophic plant found in this area.<ref>http://www.iaat.org.in/images/journalprev/2000/2/131-134.pdf</ref>

As part of a study to ascertain the visitor management strategy at Parambikulam, a study report by KFRI in 2002 indicated limited tourism with community participation.<ref>KFRI Research Report No. 239, Visitor Management Strategy for Eravikulam National Park, Parambikulam and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuaries, KFRI, July 2002</ref> While questions has been raised about the effectiveness of Eco-Development-Committees (EDCs) in promoting sustainable development at Parambikulam,<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Participatory eco-development in question: The case of the Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary in South India|last = Dejouhanet|first = Lucie|date = 2010|journal = Journal of Alpine Research}}</ref> there has also been indications that ecotourism has provided benefits to the local population.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Local Economic Benefits of Ecotourism: A Case Study on Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala, India|last = Vinodan|first = A|date = July 2011|journal = South Asian Journal of Tourism and Heritage|last2 = Manalel|first2 = James}}</ref> The tiger reserve strives towards ecotourism initiatives that cause minimum harm to the environment. The tiger reserve also promotes the usage of solar energy.