Situated within the confines of the Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar national park Kerala and Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. Elephant in Periyar is another major attraction. In 1895, the British undertook water resource management plans for the area and started work on a dam and an artificial lake under the auspices of Col. J. Pennycuick. The picturesque lake in the heart of the sanctuary was originally 26 sq km but now spans an area of 55 sq km. This perennial source of water, which initially led to the submersion of large tracts of forestland, slowly attracted wild animals. It eventually resulted in the adjoining forests being granted protection by the Maharaja of Travancore. Post-1975 Periyar finds itself in the enviable position of being a national park as well as a protected tiger reserve.
Periyar (also known as Thekkady) is a park where one can witness playful elephants, whose population is currently around 800. Elephant in Periyar make excellent wildlife watching. The population of tigers is also increasing appreciably. The terrain ranges from hilly to flat grassland areas at the edges of the lakes. The vegetation is of moist deciduous type. Elephant in Periyar remain the key attraction. The temperature during summers (April-June) ranges from 21°C to 24°C. During the monsoon (July-August), it ranges from 19°C to 21°C. Winter season lasts from October to March and is cool and pleasant. Visit the national park with elephant in Periyar make the entire experience unforgettable.
Periyar National Park Kerala is a veritable paradise of elephants. Herds of playful wild elephants have made Periyar Lake their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Scores of elepahnt in Periyar can be witnessed bathing and swimming here. The Indian female elephants in Periyar do not posses tusks like their African relatives. They are also not as swarthy as their African counterparts. Other inhabitants of Periyar include the leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports. The tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are elusive creatures. However, an early morning visit, with luck on your side, could yield results.
