The protected areas of Kerala include a wide range of biomes, extending east from the coral reefs, estuaries, salt marshes, mangroves beaches of the Arabian Sea through the tropical moist broadleaf forests of the Malabar Coast moist forests to the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests and South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests to South Western Ghats montane rain forests on the western border of Tamil Nadu in the Western Ghats. Most protected areas throughout its 14 districts are under the stewardship of the Kerala Forest Department and like all other protected areas of India receive support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (India).
Land coverage The state of Kerala covers an area of . The total forest area in the state is (1995), forming 27.83% of the total geographic area. There are six national parks with a total area of . There are fourteen wildlife sanctuaries with a total area of . Together the protected area totals , which cover 23.7% of the total forest area and 6.3% of the geographical area of Kerala State.
History The first official action towards the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in Kerala was taken in 1934 by the Maharaja of the Princely state of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, by declaring the forests around Periyar lake as a private game reserve to stop the encroachment of tea plantations. It was named Nellikkampatty Game Reserve and was consolidated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1950 after the political integration of India. Kerala Forest Dept.Kerala Forest Dept.
Biosphere reserves 1. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (5,520 km2) established in 1986, includes parts of Wayanad, Malappuram & Palakkad districts of Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu & Karnataka.
2. Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (3,500 km2) established in 2001, covers parts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta Districts in Kerala and Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts in Tamil Nadu.
National parks
1978 Eravikulam NP, Idukki District, 97 km2
1982 Periyar NP, Idukki District, 350 km2
1984 Silent Valley NP, Palakkad District, 89.52 km2
2003 Mathikettan Shola NP, Idukki District, 12.82 km2
2003 Anamudi Shola NP in Idukki District, 7.5 km2.
2003 Pambadum Shola NP, Idukki District, 1.318 km2.
Wildlife sanctuaries
Wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala include:Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department (2004) Kerala Forests and Wildlife DepartmentWildlife Institute of India 2007 List of Protected Areas , Dehradun
Neyyar WLS in Thiruvananthapuram District, in 1958. Peechi-Vazhani WLS in Thrissur District, , in 1958 Wayanad WLS in Wayanad District, in 1973.
Idukki WLS in Idukki District, n 1976. Peppara WLS in Thiruvananthapuram District, , in 1983. Thattekad BS in Ernakulam District, , in 1983. Chimmony WLS in Thrissur District, , in 1984. Shenduruny WLS in Kollam District, , in 1984. Chinnar WLS in Idukki District, , in 1984. Aralam WLS in Kannur District, , in 1984. Mangalavanam BS in Ernakulam District, , in 2004 Kurinjimala Sanctuary in Idukki District, , in 2006.
Karimpuzha WLS in Malappuram district, 227.97 km2, in 2020.
Tiger reserves
Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Idukki district is adjacent/within the Periyar National Park, in 1978. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PKTR) in Palakkad district, in 2009.
Zoos The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is one among the best designed in Asia and is set amidst a woodland, lakes and lawns.Public Relations Department, Govt. of Kerala., 101 Things to Do in Kerala, retrieved 6/23/2007 Trivandrum zoo It is one of the oldest in the country, established as an annexe to the museum in 1857. The Thrissur Zoo is home to the wide variety of animals, reptiles and birds. Spread over an area of 13.5 acres of land, a natural history museum and an art museum are also enclosed within the same premises showcasing the socio-cultural heritage of the region. There is a special building which houses snakes also.Kerala State Department of Museums and Zoos Zoological garden, Thiruvananthapuram
Reserve forests Attappadi - The 249 km2 Attappadi Reserve Forest is an informal buffer zone conjoining Silent Valley National Park to the West.keralaatbest.com (2002) "Palgat", retrieved 4/1/2007 Palgat 81 km2 of this forest was separated to become most of the new 94 km2 Bhavani Forest Range which is part of the 147.22 km2 Silent Valley Buffer Zone. Idamalayar Reserve Forest- surrounding the Edamalayar Dam to the north, east and a south-east, covering Thrissur and Ernakulam districts. Eravikulam National Park is to the south-east, and Mankulam Forest Division to the east. A useful source is detailed Topographic Maps of India.University of Texas Libraries, India and Pakistan 1:250,000, Series U502, U.S. Army Map Service, 1955 Topographic Maps of India
See also Protected areas of West Bengal Protected areas of Himachal Pradesh Protected areas of Tamil Nadu
Notes