Periyar National Park
Periyar National Park, located in the southern Indian state of Kerala, is a renowned wildlife sanctuary and protected area that covers an area of approximately 925 square kilometers (356 square miles). It was established in 1982 and is named after the Periyar River that flows through the park. The park is part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its rich biodiversity.
PERIYAR TIGER RESERVE (PTR) is one of the most visited protected areas in India, bagged the title of the Best managed Tiger Reserve among 54 Tiger Reserves in the country in terms of Management Effectiveness Assessment in 2022 by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The reserve is well known for its unique and diverse flora and fauna. The diversity of wildlife includes Indian Elephants (Elephas maximus), Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris), Sambars (Cervus unicolor), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Leopard (Prionailurus bengalensis), Indian Wild dog (Cuon alpinus), Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Mouse deer (Tragulus meminna), Monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis) and a variety of birds and reptile species. PTR is rich in endemism with three unique species of flora and seven species of Fishes.
PTR is situated in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the Southern Western Ghats between latitudes 90 17' 56.04” and 90 37' 10.2” N and longitudes 760 56' 12.12” and 77025' 5.52” E. Administratively, PTR falls in the Idukki, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala. The Sanctuary was brought under Project Tiger in 1978 as the 10th Tiger Reserve in the country and named Periyar Tiger Reserve. The total area of the reserve sprawls to an extend of 925 sq kms.
Periyar Tiger Reserve is also part of the World Heritage site “Western Ghats” under UNESCO. PTR achieved 23 awards and recognitions for excellence in diverse fields that reflect our commitment to conservation and social responsibility. Vasnthasena the unique women's voluntary Group in PTR, participate in the protection works by offering their services in sandalwood patrolling and Plastic Cleaning. They received global recognition for their unique service and commitment.