Periyar National Park
Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area located in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. It is notable as an elephant reserve and a tiger reserve. The protected area encompasses 925 km2 (357 sq mi), of which 305 km2 (118 sq mi) of the core zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982. The park is a repository of rare, endemic, and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala: the Periyar and the Pamba.
| Periyar National Park | |
|---|---|
Periyar NP | |
| Location | Idukki and Pathanamthitta, Kerala state, India |
| Nearest city | Kottayam, Kochi |
| Coordinates | 9°34′39″N 77°10′48″E |
| Area | 350 km2 (140 sq mi) |
| Established | 1934-1950 (As Nellikkaampetty Game sanctuary), 1950-present(As Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary) |
| Visitors | 180,000 (in 1986) |
| Governing body | Govt of India & Department of Forests and Wildlife (Kerala) Field Director: Sri. Georgi P Mathechan |
The park is located high in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the south Western Ghats along the border with Tamil Nadu. It is 4 km (2.5 mi) from Kumily, approximately 100 km (62 mi) east of Kottayam, 110 km (68 mi) west of Madurai and 120 km (75 mi) southeast of Kochi.