Photo credits: Sanjayan
The Slender loris is commonly found in the tropical rainforests of Southern India and Sri Lanka. This small animal with a vestigial tail and extremely thin arms and legs is primarily known by the huge round eyes that dominate their face, which give it excellent night vision. Continue reading
Photo credits: Surus
Papanasini is a spring fed stream that originates in the Brahmagiri Hills, which later joins the River Kalindi. Located about a kilometer from the Thirunelli Vishnu Temple, devotees believe that the cool waters have the ability to wipe away a lifetime of sins. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh
Dudhsagar Waterfall is located in the South Goa region of the Western Ghats in the Bhagavan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. The train bridge that passes over over the Dudhsagar falls is one of the highlights of crossing this area of the boarder between Goa and Karnataka states . Continue reading
Photo credit: Faisal Magnet
The Yellow-footed Green Pigeon is the Maharashtra state bird, called Hariyal in Marathi, the language of the state. It is a resident of most of India and neighboring countries. Continue reading
Photo credits: Vijay Mampally
The Periyar Tiger Reserve is one of the major wildlife sanctuaries in India. It is home to elephants, wild gaur, leopards, wild boar, deer, and of course tigers, in addition to over 300 species of birds, a dazzling variety of butterflies, and plenty of reptiles and amphibians. Continue reading
Photo Credits: Roji Anthony
The Periyar Tiger Reserve is home to an estimated 500-1000 Wild Gaur, popularly known as “Indian Bison”. They are ferocious looking but shy bovines, and some of the largest in the world. The male bison can weight up to 1000 kg, grows to 6 feet in height and has very dark brown skin. Female gaur are smaller in size and are a lighter brownish black, and the calves are even lighter still. Continue reading
Photo credits: Arid V K
The Coppersmith Barbet, Megalaima haemacephala, is a green bird with a crimson-colored forehead and breast, along with a yellow eye-ring and throat patch. It has a very distinct call, which has been likened to the sound made when a coppersmith strikes metal with his hammer. Continue reading
Photo credits: Riaz
Located in the Palakkad district of Kerala, the Siruvani Dam was built as a joint venture between the neighboring states to supply drinking water for the town of Coimbature in Tamil Nadu. The thickly forested surroundings, Siruvani Waterfall and the nearby Banan Fort make the area a rich tourist attraction. Members of the Irular and Mudugar Tribal groups also inhabit the regions near the Siruvani Dam. Continue reading
Photo credits : Asif
Pakshipathalam is situated in the district of Wayanad, near Karimala peak. It contains numerous caves and is surrounded by rocky hillocks. Pakshipathalam is a haven for a large avian colony, mainly around the natural rock cave. Continue reading
Elephant
Sightings in the Periyar Tiger Reserve have always been an excitement for guests. It’s fun to see the animals from the boats but it’s even more enchanting to see them up close during treks in the reserve. These photos were taken by Cardamom County guest Mr. Oliver Wyatt, who was most delighted to share his experience.
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Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Munnar and its surrounding environs abounds in places that offer amazing natural views; forests, mountains, waterfalls and dams. Anairangal Dam, which in Malyalam means “elephant crossing dam”, is located about 18km from Munnar, en route to Thekkady. Continue reading
Photo credits: MN Shaji
Kerala’s Idukki District is known for its famous dams, forests and rich animal habitat. With an astonishing 50 percent of the total area under green cover this hilly region has managed to retain its charm and pristine environment. Idukki’s stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife make it dream tourist destination. Continue reading
Photo credits: Aparna P
The Lion-Tailed Macaque, Macaca silenus, is ranked among the rarest and most threatened primates in the Western Ghats. The population is scattered across small patches of evergreens in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where they spend most of their lives in the upper canopy of tropical moist forests. Continue reading
Thanks to Harvard Gazette for this follow up story shedding more light on the role of forests of Massachusetts in better understanding the planet’s ecological needs:
In heavily wooded New England, forests are dynamic ecosystems that support a range of plants and animals, and their ability to soak up carbon also makes them an important piece of the climate-change puzzle. How changes to forests over time affect the flow of carbon through the atmosphere has long been a focus of researchers at the 3,700-acre Harvard Forest. Now, three wood-fired boilers are providing those scientists with a new tool to expand their understanding. Continue reading
View of Periyar Lake
Mr. Mujeeb, tour escort from Kumily, went on the Periyar Tiger Trail hike last month and shared some of his photos with us.
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
The Athirappally Waterfall is one of the largest in Kerala, situated about 1000 ft above sea-level on the Chalakkudy River, at the entrance to the Sholayar Forest Range of the Western Ghats. Falling from a height of 80 ft, this cataract is a major tourist attraction. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Bandipur National Park is one of the most famous wildlife national parks in South India, and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Covering an area of 880 sq km, it was once one of the private wildlife reserves of the Mysore Maharaja. Today, Bandipur National Park is a protected zone for over 100 species of mammals, Continue reading
Periyar Lake
Today we are sharing the sightings of Mr. Vinoy Khakie from his experience inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve. His photos are impressive despite the fact they were taken from a moving boat.
Photo credit: Praveen Bhaskaran
Vagamon is a land with undisturbed forests, exotic flora and fauna — green glades and verdant meadows interspersed with shola forest combine to create a picturesque landscape. 1200 metres above sea level, Vagamon is located approximately 45 km from Thekkady; a true paradise for hikers and trekkers. Continue reading
Photo credits:Ramesh Kidngoor
Periyar Lake comprises about 26 square kilometers within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, a sanctuary for wildlife next to Cardamom County. Periyar River, which flows from Periyar Lake, is not only the lifeline of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, but also of central Kerala. It originates in the Sivagiri peaks in the Western Ghats, 1830 meters above sea level, across the border into the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu. Continue reading
Organikos 