Kottayam: Kerala's famous Periyar forest reserve, which was declared a tiger reserve under the 1978 'Save the Tiger Scheme', is currently languishing as its ecosystem is undergoing drastic changes. Periyar reserve was famously known for its wild animals like tigers and elephants. But these animals are now rarely seen in the forest. Sighting wild animals in the forest has become a thing of the past. The reason for this is the drastically ever-changing environment. The region has not witnessed rain for the past five years. One of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries is now-a-days going through a drastically ever-changing environment. Periyar lake is 26 square kilometres and forest covers 360 square kilometres.

      "Forty years back when I came there, there was a large number of animals like tigers and elephants. But today I can only see one elphant and one tiger. It really hurts. What we will tell to our children," said a college teacher. One can find rare species of birds and other wild animals harping on tree tops and bushes in and around the Periyar lake. Managing the sanctuary, even the tourist zone, during the tourist season seems to be a challenging task. "It is a high rainfall area. It is also a heavy rain shadow area. So it is actually an environmental phenomenon," said another. 35,000 people directly depend upon the forest for their livelihood. But with increasing species of animals becoming virtually extinct, tourist arrivals are falling.

      This reserve was one of the most prestigious regions on the high ranges of the Western Ghats. One of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries, the Periyar reserve was noted for its geomorphology, diverse wildlife and beautiful landscape. The sanctuary, declared as a tiger reserve in 1978 under the Project Tiger scheme, attracts travellers from all over the world because this is the only sanctuary in India where the wild elephant can be observed and photographed at close range. The Periyar lake formed by the construction of the dam across the Uullaperiyar river in 1895, the lake harbours within itself a unique aquatic eco-system. The numerous little islets in the lake are witness to the intricate inherent inter relationship among the terrestrial aquatic and subterranean life forms. It is said that a boat cruise on the lake is perhaps the best way to watch the wildlife in the reserve and in their natural habitat.
May 29, 2005