On the Tiger trail

The Parambikulam Tiger Reserve provides a safe habitat for tigers and other fauna. The reserve is also home to indigenous tribes

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PTR) is one among the two tiger reserves in Kerala positioned in the Nelliampathy-Anamalai landscapes of the Western Ghats. The presence of reservoirs, eco tones, hills, ponds and swamps make the reserve a unique one and provides a safe habitat to tiger, wild dog, leopard, Indian gaur, jungle cat, sambar, great hornbill, elephant etc.

Parambikulam Safari Wildlife safari tourism is associated with protected areas and it involves spotting wild animals in their natural habitat and other tourist attractions by travelling in a vehicle. The three hour van safari of PTR includes a visit to orientation centre, tribal heritage centre, Kannimara teak, views of valleys, dams, lakes etc. The journey through the narrow roads having undulating terrain is an awesome experience. The three hour safari provides opportunity to spot peacocks, sambar deer, wild pigs etc. Kannimara Teak in PTR is one amongst the world’s largest living teak trees, having a girth of 7.02 metres and height of 39.98 metres. Thunacadavu and Parambikulam are the major dams we visited. Sufficient time is allotted to the visitors to spend at each spot and they can take beautiful pictures too. The cool climate is one of the major specialties of the reserve. The safari cost is Rs 170 per visitor. I enjoyed the safari and it was a dream come true moment for me. Unfortunately I was not able to spot the tiger even though the PTR has sufficient numbers of the majestic animals.

Community based eco-tourism packages Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is home to indigenous tribes like Malasars, Kadars, Mudhuvas, Malamalasars etc. The tribes earn their livelihood through participation in community based eco-tourism packages. The various packages available are tree top huts, bamboo rafting, trekking programmes, visiting islands etc. Souvenirs made of costly wood can be purchased from the eco shops in the reserve.

PTR is one of the best managed protected areas by the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department. It has won the National Tiger Conservation Authority award for the best tiger reserve for community participation in eco-tourism during 2016. The uniqueness of PTR is that it can be accessed only by entering Pollachi in Tamilnadu.

(The author is a lecturer in Tourism, School of Tourism Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala)