Eravikulam National Park

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Eravikulam National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Map of India
Location:	Idukki, India
Nearest city:	Ernakulam, India
Coordinates:	10°0′0″N, 77°0′0″E
Area:	89 km²
Established:	31 March , 1978
Visitation:	2,000 (in 1983)

Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km² national park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India, between 10º05'N - 10º20'N latitude and 77º0'E - 77º10'E longitude. The terrain consists of high altitude grasslands interspersed with sholas.

Eravikulam National Park harbours the largest surviving population of Nilgiri tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius).Nilgiri Tahr is endemic to the southern Western Ghats.Its relatives are the Himalayan tahr(Hemitragus jemlahicus) and Arabian Tahr(hemitragus jayakiri).The estimated population of Nilgiri tahr inside the park is about 750.

Wild dog, leopard and tiger are the main predators. Apart from tahr, other little known animals such as Nilgiri marten, small clawed otter, ruddy mongoose, and dusky striped squirrel are also found. Elephants make seasonal visits.

About 120 species of birds have been recorded which include endemics like black and ornage flycatcher, Nilgiri pipit, Nilgiri wood pegeon, white bellied shortwing, Nilgiri verditer flycatcher and Kerala laughing thrush. Endemics confined to the shola-grass land ecosystem like the red disk bushbrown and Palni fourwing are among the 100 odd butterflies listed inside the park.

Anamudi (2690 m, the highest peak south of the Himalayas is inside this park.

The park is accessible from Kochi (Kerala) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) airports, which are located at about 148 Km and 175 Km respectively. Munnar is the nearest town (13km.), well connected by roads from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The nearest railway station is Aluva in Kerala (120 Km away from Munnar) and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu (165 Km).

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