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Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary Remember the last time you had a really wild time. This month, we invite you for another bash in a tropical semi-evergreen forest! For company, you would have some die-hard party animals - elephants, tigers, leopards, bisons, sambar, wild boar, Lion-tailed macaques, langurs, deer and most of the other regular inhabitants of a wild, West Coast tropical evergreen forest. The Shenduruny forest - declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1984 gets its name from an endemic species of tree called Chenkuruny (Gluta travancoria). In the central region of this moist, mixed deciduous forest, spread over hilly terrain of over 100 sq km, is the 26 sq km artificial lake formed by the Parappar dam built across the Shenduruny and Kulathupuzha rivers But beautiful surroundings guaranteed to give those exhausted batteries a recharge is not all that Shenduruny is famous for. According to some recent archaeological studies, Shenduruny was the cradle of one of the oldest river valley civilizations in India - one older than even the Indus Valley which dates from 4400 - 3700 BC! Paintings similar to those of the Mesolithic period (5210 - 4420 BC) found in the caves of Central India, have been excavated from a cave, large enough to hold 20 people, in the Northwestern part of the river How to Reach
By road: 66 km from Kollam town on the
Kollam-Shencotta Road, in Pathanapuram taluk of Kollam district.
The Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary Location: About 40 km from Thodupuzha, Idukki district, Central Kerala. A land-locked district, Idukki is one of the most nature-rich areas of Kerala. The Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary here spreads over an area of 77 sq km in the Thodupuzha and Udumpanchola taluks of the district. Situated at an altitude of 450-748 m above sea level, this sanctuary occupies the forest land between the Cheruthoni and Periyar rivers. There is a scenic lake around the sanctuary, covered by an enchanting canopy of tropical ever-green and deciduous trees, and offers boat rides. Elephants, bison, sambar deer, wild dogs, jungle cats, tiger, wild boar etc. are seen here apart from various species of snakes including cobra, viper, kraits and numerous non-poisonous ones. Birds include jungle fowl, myna, laughing thrush, black bulbul, peafowl, woodpecker, kingfisher etc. The wildlife here is similar to that of Thekkady. This sanctuary lies adjacent to the world renowned Idukki Arch Dam. How to Reach
Nearest railway stations: Kottayam
about 114 km; Changanassery about 114 km away.
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