 Kerala, with its plethora of forested mountainsides, verdant valleys and tropical evergreen jungles, gushing rivers, lakes and waterfalls combined with the torrential rains received in the form of the south west monsoon, constitutes the state most blessed with natural resources. This makes the land a perfect habitat for housing wildlife, both flora and fauna. The wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the state are home to a large variety of common, rare and exotic species of plants, herbs, animals, birds, insects, reptiles and mammals.
The parks and sanctuaries help in preserving the abundance of wildlife as well as in conservation of their natural habitat and the environment. These abodes of wilderness that are stunningly beautiful nature spots are major tourist attractions in Kerala where travelers and visitors flock to be in the midst of nature and catch a glimpse of the wild animals in their majesty. Nature walks through the green pastures, trekking along nature trails, jungle safaris in jeeps or on elephants to watch wildlife at close quarters, bird watching, etc are some of the exciting activities to be undertaken by the enthusiast while on a wildlife tour. Wildlife photography can also be indulged in.
 The Western Ghats is home to wildlife species such as elephants, tigers, sambars, wild boars, stags, peacocks, gaurs, leopards, langurs, flying foxes, cobras and so on that freely roam about in their natural abode and contribute to the ecological equilibrium. Silent Valley national park, Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary, Periyar and Thekkady wildlife reserves are some of the better known wildlife destinations in Kerala. Kumarakom, Thattekkad and Kadalundi are renowned havens of birdlife in the state.
A host of interesting activities await the wildlife enthusiast in Kerala. Family tour packages involving day-long boat cruises along Periyar Lake at Thekkady draw plenty of visitors especially in the peak season. During the ride, one can spot a range of wild animals, water birds, common reptiles and rare insects at close range while it’s fun to shoot their images with your cameras. Jeep and elephant safaris, trekking, camping etc are for the more adventurous-minded.
Kuruvadweep
kuruva dweep" is a small island and is a tourist place in wayanad in the kerala state.the entertainment their is that for reaching this deepu we need walk through lake towards “Koodalkadavu” which is a meeting point of two rivers. The word “Koodalkadavu” in Malayalam means meeting point of rivers. The two rivers are named as river “Mananthavady” and river “Panamaram”, since the two rivers flow through Panamaram and Mananthavady which are small towns in Wayanad.
The two rivers meet together and flow with the name “Kabani” river. The river separates into 5 small rivers, 2 kilometers away from Koodalkadavu and joins together after 3 more kilometers. The land in between forms an island called “Kuruvadweep”. “Dweep” means an island in Malayalam..As this is a tourist spot kerala tourism have taken special care to attract tourist.
We reach the island by the help of a small boat run by kerala tourism.No one is allowed to enter into the area without permission because at times elephants and other animals swims into the island from the nearby forest.
Kuruva Island is situated on the tributaries of the river kabani and is a fabulous picnic spot. Its serene silence and wide expanse of the evergreen forest leaves you astonishing. This island is isolated but an array of uncommon species of birds, herbs and orchids are the monarchs of Kuruva Island. Kuruva Island is 17 kms to the east of Mananthavady.
Kuruva Island is a vast island of 950 acres abundantly rich with green forest. It is very far from the turbulence of city life making it an exotic place for visitors to relax and enjoy the beauty of the nature.
This island of dense and evergreen forest is uninhabited and hence a home to rare kinds of flora and fauna: uncommon species of birds, orchids and herbs namely. Its unique geographical characteristics make it a place where not only the leaves but also silence is evergreen being away from cities and thus it has become a place of attraction. Most recently, it has been identified as the most visited place in the district by tourists drawn from all over the globe.
The island surrounded by streams and river can be accessed using rafts or fiber boats run by Kerala Tourism Department. Entrance to the island is restricted and monitored by Vana Samrakshana Samiti, a Dept of Forest of Kerala initiative to protect forest, and at times of heavy rain and frequency of elephants and other animals to the island a pass obtained prior to the visit of spot from Dept of Forest is mandatory.
Kuruva Islands is 17 km east of Mananthavady and 40 km north west of Sulthan Bathery, nearby towns in Wayanad District. More details can be sought in district office of Department of Tourism, Wayanad in Kalpetta.
Muthanga
Muthanga is an ideal destination to watch herds of wild elephants, Muthanga is contiguous with the protected area network of the Nagarhole National Park and the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the neighbouring State of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamilnadu. This area spread over 345 sq km is rich with fauna and flora, and comes under Project Elephant.
Elephants roam freely here and tigers are sighted occasionally. Various species of deer, monkeys, birds etc also live here. The trees and plants in the sanctuary are typical of the south Indian moist deciduous forests and west coast semi evergreen forests. A drive along the road to Muthanga and further, offers chances to watch these roaming animals. Elephant rides are arranged by the Forest Department.
The wildlife sanctuary at Muthanga is located close to the Karnataka border at a distance of 16 kilometers east of Sultan Bathery. It is the greatest abode of wild animals in Malabar and the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala with a natural habitat to a large number of wild animals and for few birds.
This wildlife sanctuary is also a part of the Nilgiri biosphere region.The major wild animals like Elephant, spotted deer, bison, tiger, cheetah, wild bear, and so on. A few wild birds such as Peacocks and Peafowl can also be found in the sanctuary. The Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 344.44 square kilometers and Muthanga is a special Project Elephant site and you can see herds of elephants frolicking near the waters. An easiest way to explore the sanctuary is an elephant ride which can be arranged by the Forest Department.
The vegetation in the moist sanctuary forest contains smaller stretches of swamps, teak forests, bamboo and tall grass. This region hosts several rare herbs and medicinal plants with its abundant and diverse flora. It is bestowed with lush green forests and rich wildlife.
The flora of Muthanga wildlife sanctuary includes deciduous and evergreen forests. The best months to visit Muthanga wildlife sanctuary is from June to October. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster, including all of the sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site
Wild Life Tourism in Kerala......
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