4.Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala

A mere 55 sq.kms in area and located on the western slopes of the Western Ghats, the Aralam sanctuary is the northern most wildlife sanctuary of Kerala. It was established in 1984. The headquarters of the sanctuary is near Iritty, a small town about 55 kms from Kannur. The sanctuary adjoins the Central State Farm at Aralam. It lies between north latitude 11°50' and 11° 52' and east longitude 75° 49' and 75° 57'.
Topography in Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
The elevation varies from 50m to 1145m. The highest peak is Katti Betta, which is 1145m. high.

Climate (Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary)
The temperature at the foothills varies from 21° C to 40°C and at the higher reaches from 8°C to 25°C. The sanctuary receives an annual rainfall of about 3,000 mm. The wettest part of the year is from June to August. (south-west monsoon).
Forest Type
Forest coast tropical evergreen and west coast semievergreen forests are predominant. There are about 490 ha of teak and eucalyptus plantations within the forest area.

Flora in Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
In the evergreen areas the following species are found: vellapine (Vateria indica), Mesua ferrea, Mechilus macrantha, Calophyllum elatum, Cullenia rosayroona, Magnifera indica, Toona cillata, Myristica Species, Euphorbia Longana, Strobilanthes. The common trees in the semievergreen areas are Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Hopea parviflora, Largestroemia lanceolata, Xyliaxylocarpa, Mallotus, Philippinensis.
Fauna in Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
A variety of animals and birds usually found in the Western Ghats are seen here. Different kinds of deer, boar, elephant, and bison are quite common. Leopard, jungle cat and various types of squirrels are sighted.

Administration (Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary)
The sanctuary comes under the Wayanad Division with headquarters at Sultan Bathery. The sanctuary is under the direct charge of an Assistant Wildlife whose office is at Chathiroor near Irutti.

Wildlife Tourism (Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary)
One can reach the Aralam sanctuary by road from Thalasseri (45 kms) and Kannur (45kms). The nearest railway station is Thalassery and the nearest airport is Kozhikkod, 113 kms from Irutti. The infrastructure for tourism development is limited at present, but steps are being taken by the Forest Department to improve the situation.
Enquiries (Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary)
1. The Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife)
Thiruvananthapuram - 695 014, Kerala
Phone: 322217

2. The Wildlife Warden, Aralam Wildlife,
Division, Kannur.

3. The Assistant Wildlife Warden, Iritty, Kannur Dist. Pin Code: 670 673

5.Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala

Total Area 128 sq. kms

Best time to visit October to March

How to get there Rail- Mullayar

Species found Elephants, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Tahr, Jungle Cat, Wild Boar, Nilgiri Langur etc.
About Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary:
The Neyyar reservoir is easily navigable and extends 9.06 sq. km. The vegetation varies from tropical wet evergreen to grasslands. The Agasthyakoodam hill, 1890 metres high, lies in the premises of the sanctuary. Elephants, gaur, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr, jungle cat, wild boar, Nilgiri langur etc. are seen. A crocodile rearing centre, deer farm and lion safari park are the main attractions

The vegetation varies from tropical wet evergreen to grasslands. The Agasthyarkoodam hill, 1890 metres high, lies in the premises of the sanctuary.

Declared as a sanctuary in 1958, it is the drainage basin for the Neyyar River and its tributaries - Mullayar and Kallar.
Wildlife in Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary:
Elephants, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Tahr, Jungle Cat, Wild Boar, Nilgiri Langur can be seen here.

This sanctuary has a substantial natural vegetation cover. The diversity of its flora makes this sanctuary an ideal gene pool preserve.

Other Attractions:
A Crocodile Rearing Centre, Deer Farm and Lion Safari Park are the main attractions near the dam site.