Established
in 1973, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous to the protected area
network of Nagarhole and Bandipore of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamilnadu.
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, 15 kms from Calicut is bisected by a tract of cultivated
land into two distinct parts. One falls in the Kozhikode District and the other
in the Kannur District. Wayanad literally means the 'land of swamps'.
Rich in bio-diversity, the sanctuary is an integral part of the nilgiri biosphere
reserve, which has been established with the chief objective of conserving the
biological heritage of the region. The sanctuary has excellent moist deciduous
teak forests and marshes dominated by bamboo and other grasses. These forests
are also said to be amongst the most extensively forested belts in the Indian
Peninsula.
The Wild Population - Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Elephants, Tigers, Panthers, Jungle Cats, Civet Cats, Monkeys, Wild Dogs, Bisons,
Deer, Bears, Racquet-tailed Drongo, Barbet. Monitor lizards and a variety of
snakes are seen.
The sanctuary is also rich in avian life and Peacocks, Babblers, Cuckoos, Owls,
Woodpeckers, Jungle Fowls are a few of the various types of birds seen here.
The park in rich in flora and has Teak, Maruthu, Karimaruthi, Rosewood, Venteak,
Vengal, Chadachi, Mazhukanjirarn, Bamboo etc. grow in the moist deciduous forest.
Veteria indica, Lager stroemia, Lanceolata, Terminalia paniculata etc. are common
in the semi evergreen patches.
HOW TO GET THERE
Air : The nearest Airport is at Cochin, 300km. Rail : The nearest railhead is Calicut 110 km.
INCREDIBLE TOURISM
Established
in 1973, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous to the protected area
network of Nagarhole and Bandipore of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamilnadu.
