Kerala has 2 designated tiger reserves.
Table of Contents
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
- Location: Palakkad and Thrissur districts, Kerala, India.
- Biosphere Reserve: Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
- Wildlife Sanctuary: Established in 1973 under the Kerala Forest Act, 1961.
- Tiger Reserve: Upgraded in 2009 as Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.
- Area: 643.66 sq km (Core: 390.89 sq km; Buffer: 252.77 sq km).
- River: Parambikulam River, Thunakadavu River, Peruvaripallam River.
- Lake: Parambikulam Reservoir, Thunakadavu Reservoir, Peruvaripallam Reservoir.
- Tribe: Kadar, Malasar, Muduvar, Mala Malasar.
- Plants: Evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, shola forests, grasslands.
- Animals: Tiger, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Dhole, Nilgiri Langur, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Marten, Western Ghats Flying Lizard.
Periyar Tiger Reserve
- Location: Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts, Kerala, India.
- Named After: Periyar River.
- Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1934 by the Maharaja of Travancore; consolidated as Nellikkampatty Reserve in 1950.
- Tiger Reserve: Declared in 1978 under Project Tiger.
- Project Elephant: Included in 1991.
- Award: Recognized as the Best Managed Tiger Reserve in 2018 by NTCA.
- Area: 925 sq km (Core: 881 sq km; Buffer: 44 sq km).
- Hills: Located in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the Southern Western Ghats.
- River: Pamba, Mullayar, Periyar Rivers; major portion is Periyar River catchment.
- Lake: Periyar Lake, an artificial reservoir created by Mullaperiyar Dam.
- Tribe: Mannans, Paliyans, Malayarayans, Mala Pandarams, Uralis, Ulladans.
- Plants: Tropical evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests.
- Animals: Tiger, Elephant, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon.