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Idukki - Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary |
Lying
in Devikulam Taluk of Idukki district, chinnar was declared
as a wildlife sanctuary in 1984. It is located in the
rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. It is the second
habitat for the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel in
India. With an area of 90.422 sq kms, Chinnar is a unique
thorny scrub forest.
 The
undulated terrain with rocky patches increase the scenic
splendour of the sanctuary. As the altitute varies from
500 to 2400 metres within a few kilometre radius, there
is a drastic variation in the climate and vegetation.
The highest peaks are Kottakombumalai (2144 metre),
Vellaikal malai (1863m) and Viriyoottu malai(1845 metre).
Unlike in most forests of Kerala, Chinnar gets only
about 48 rainy days in a year during October - November
(North - East Monsoons). The forest types comprise thorny
scrub forests, dry deciduous forests, high sholas and
wet grasslands.
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Flora |
The
following species are found in the thorny scrub forests:
-
Acacia arabica (Karivelam)
- Acacia
leucofolia (Velvelam)
- Acacia
concinna (Cheevaka)
- Prosopis
juliflora (Prosopis)
- Opuntia
dillenii (Kallimul)
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Dry Deciduous Forests |
 Santalum
album (chandanam), Anogeissus latifolia (Mazhukanjiram),
Tamarindus Indica(Puli), Terminalia arjuna (nirmaruthu),
Pongamia glabra (pongau) Largerstoemia lanceolata (Ventheku),
Dalbergia latifio(Rosewood), Tectona grandis (Teak),
Cassia fistula (Konna), Terminalia bellerica (Thanni),
Emblica officianalis (Nelli) etc. are the common types
of trees found here. |
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High Sholas And Wet Lands |
Rhododendrom
Nilagiricum (Kattu chemparathi), Elaeocarpus recurvatus
(Bhadraksam), Strobillanthus kunthianus (Neelakurunji)
grow in these areas at the higher altitudes. |
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Fauna |
Elephant,
Gaur, Panther, Spotted deer, Sambar, Giant Grizzled
Squirrel, Hanuman monkey, Rabbit etc. inhabit the chinna
forests. The Giant Grizzled Squirrel is an endangered
species. It is dull gray in colour. |
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Wildlife Tourism |
 The
Chinnar sanctuary is accessible by good roads from the
Airports of Coimbatore and Kochi. The nearest railway
stations are Aluva and Pollachi
As you travel along the road from Karimutti to Chinnar,
you can spot elephants, spotted deer, sambar, hanuman
monkey and even peacocks on either side of the road
. This is a unique experience because generally one
has to go deep into the jungle to see wildlife as in
the case of most other sanctuaries. |
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Accommodation |
A
large number of hotels and resorts are available at
Munnar, Thekkady and at all tourist destinations in
Idukki Dist for the convenience of the tourists. Contact
kerala.com travel division. www.keralatravels.com |
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Some Vital Informations |
| Latitude |
10°15'
- 10°21' N |
| Longtitude |
77°15'
- 77°17'E |
| Rain
fall |
100mm |
Temperature varies from 0°C to 30°C and 24°C
to 35°C during winter and summer respectively. |
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Best Season |
Almost
throughout the year except during October - November
due to the NE Monsoons. |
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Precautions In The Jungle- Do
's and Dont's |
1. |
Do
not expect to see animals as a matter of routine.
Be patient |
2. |
Silence
and Discipline pays . Control children. |
3. |
Small
groups are ideal. |
4. |
Early mornings and late afternoons are
best suited to visiting forests. |
5. |
Do
not travel alone especially in elephant reserves. |
6. |
Carry
drinking water, tea, coffee, snacks etc. |
7. |
Do
not wear colourful clothes and perfumes. |
8. |
Trekkers
must use jungle boots for safety |
9. |
Do
not disturb or tease animals. |
10. |
Carry
medicines for common ailments. |
11. |
Avoid
smoking. |
12. |
Radios
and Taperecorders are better left behind. |
13. |
Do
not throw litter around including food. |
14. |
Respect
animals and their customs. |
15. |
Do not take any thing from the sanctuary. |
16. |
Carry a note book, flash light, road maps, bus,
train and airline time- tables. |
17. |
Do
not swim in unfamiliar waters. |
18. |
Be
careful during a boat ride. Do not do anything that
can rock the boat. Do not bend to touch the
water. |
19. |
Travel
light and do not carry any valuables except cameras
and binoculars. |
20. |
Seek
assitance of a forest guard while going into the
forests. |
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| Usefull
Links... |
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| Various
Maps... |
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