Eravikula National Park is located on the border of Kerala and Tamil
Nadu. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 and became a National
Park in 1978. The park was established to protect the endangered Nilgiri
Tahr. The endangered species of wild goat is the main inhabitant of the
park, which is only to be found south of the Himalayas. Today the
Eravikulam National Park is known all over the world for housing largest
population of Tahr, which is five to six hundred. Spreading over an area
of 97 sq. kms the park is rich in forests and grasses. Situated in the
higher altitudes of the Western Ghats in Kerala, the park offers the
breathtaking views of the exotic flowers and rolling grasslands. The
majestic peak of Anamudi, the highest peak of Himalayas stands as the
pride of the park. The Park area is divided into 3 regions namely the
core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed
only to the tourism area which is situated in the Rajamala region.
Prime Attractions of the Park
Fauna of the Park
Eravikulam is famous for Nilgiri Tahr, but the Atlas Moth, largest of
its kind in the world, is another attraction of the park. The park
provides shelter to Elephants, Sambars, Gaurs, Lion-tailed Macaque,
Langur, Tigers, Leopards,Malabar Civets, Barking Deers, Nilgai, Phython
etc. The birds species found in the park include imperial pigeon, grey
jungle fowl etc.
Flora of the Park
The park is known for its ecological and geo-morphological features.
The slopes of the hills is covered by various floral species. The
vegetation type of the park is mainly tropical evergreen forest.
Grasslands, shrubs, and forests found all over the park area. Grasslands
with patches of forests almost completely cover the region.
Other Attractions
Anamudi
Located within the park area, the 2,695 metre high peak is the highest
peak in South India. Here, the mountain slopes are good for trekking.
Munnar
The hill station of Munnar is located very close to the park. Walking
through the numerous tea estates of Munnar is a pleasant experience. One
can also see the entire process of tea making, right from plucking the
tea leaves to their processing at the Kundale tea plantation.