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Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: North-east Kerala, India
Area: 345 sq. km.
Major Wildlife Attractions: Elephant, Bison
Best time to visit: October to February
Places to Stay: Forest Wood House
About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, situated
in the Indian state of Kerala is a part of the Nilgiri biosphere
reserve and is contiguous to three other protected areas of Nagarhole,
Bandipur and Mudumalai. Established in the year 1973, the sanctuary
also falls under project Elephant which was launched in 1991 to save
the dwindling tusker population.
The sanctuary is situated in one of the least populous districts of
Kerala which lends a unique charm to the place. A thrill and
excitement of being away from the more populous areas combined with
trespassing into unmanned territory makes for a special holiday
experience.
Wildlife in Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary
Despite the fast depleting forest cover and human intrusion, the park
still houses a number of animal and bird species. Some of the major
animals found in the area include elephants, tigers, gaur, sloth,
cheetal, leopards, dholes, jackals and otters among other species of
fauna.
Besides animals, the sanctuary is home to a large number of avifaunal
species which include crested serpent eagle, red-wattled lapwings,
crested hawk eagle, king vulture, malabar grey hornbill and nightjars.
Some species of butterfly can also be spotted including the common
leopard butterfly.
There are no safaris offered by the forest department, however there
are plans to start one in the near future. You can take your own
vehicle into the sanctuary but taking along a local guide is
mandatory. Chances of spotting animals are best in the early hours of
morning as also during the evening. It is better to start the day as
early as 6 in the morning. Prior permission has to be obtained from
the forest department.
Best Time to Visit Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
The ideal time to visit the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is between the
months of October to February.
How to Get there
Air: Karipur International Airport at Kozhikode is the nearest
airport. Indian Airlines operates daily flights to Kozhikode from
Delhi (6:30) & Mumbai (9:15). Another connection to Kozhikode is
from Chennai (1840, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun), (12:30, Sat) & (12:50,
Tue)
Rail: Mysore is the nearest railhead connected to Delhi
through the Swarna Jayanthi (6:00, Mon). Mumbai is connected through
the Sharavathi Exp. (21:30, Tue) while Bangalore through the Mysore
Pass (23:55, Daily), Mysore Exp. (4:10, Daily) and Chennai through the
Mysore Exp. (21:45, Daily)
Road: The sanctuary is demarcated into the upper and lower
regions. To reach upper Wayanad from Kozhikode, take the NH212 to
Kalpetta. From there, take the state highway to Kartikulam via
Mananthavady from where a district road will take you to Tholpetty. To
reach from Bangalore, take the state highway to Mysore via Maddur and
Mandya. From here, follow the NH212 to Sulthan Bathery via Gundlupet. |
