INTRODUCTION

A part of the Wynad Plateau, the Wynad
Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala is famous for its tigers and leopards
along with the other wildlife that one can find here. The sanctuary
is an extension of the Bandipur National Park in Kerala at its
southern border. The region, which is a part of the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve, was notified in the year 1973 as a Wildlife
Sanctuary. The management of the park laid emphasis on creating
scientific conservation methods that are complementary to the
traditional lifestyle of the tribals residing in the region.
LOCATION
The Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary comprises two
districts of Kerala i.e. in the north; it is a part of the Cannanore
district while its southern part is located in the Calicut district.
The park extends from the latitude 11°15' in the North to the
longitude 76°30' in the East. There is a good road network that
connects the sanctuary with the other important places in Kerala.
CLIMATE
The climate of the region is very much influenced
by the southwest monsoon that touches it in the months from
June to September. There is good rainfall during the Northeast
monsoon too in the months of October and November. July receives the
highest rainfall while February is the driest month here. April and
May are the hottest months here while coldest months are January and
February.
ATTRACTIONS
Flora

The flora of this wildlife sanctuary comprises
moist deciduous forests, though the climate also supports
evergreen forests on the higher ridges. Teak is the predominant
floral specie in this sanctuary along with marshes that are full of
grasses and support the best quality of bamboos.
Fauna
Major fauna species here include the tiger,
leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, jackal, elephant, and Indian fox.
Other wildlife that have made this park their habitat are the
gaur, sambar, spotted dear, Indian muntjac, wild boar, and giant
squirrel.
PLACES NEARBY
Kalpetta is the district headquarters of Wynad
and famous for its Jain temples. Ananthantha Jain temple is one of
the landmarks of this town.
The Chembra Peak (2100 m) is situated around 14
km off Kalpetta and the highest point in this district. It is also a
popular trekking destination.
The Edakkal Caves are situated around 12 km off
Sulthan Bathery at a height of 1000 metres. The walls of the caves
are full with New Stone Age pictorial writings and throw light on
the history of this region.
The Glass Temple of Kottamunda is located around
22 km off Kalpetta and dedicated to Parsvanatha, the Jaina
Tirthankara. The mirrors on the inner walls of the temple reflect
the icons inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
REACHING THERE
By
Air
Kozhikode or Calicut at a distance of 110 km from
Kalpetta is the nearest airport. Kozhikode is connected with Mumbai,
Delhi, Goa, Bangalore, Chennai and some other places in India by
regular flights. There are international flights to some Middle East
cities from Kozhikode.
By
Train
The nearest railway station from Wynad is again
Kozhikode connected to almost all the major destinations in India by
regular trains.
By
Road
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation run frequent buses to the
sanctuary from many places in both the states. The sanctuary is also
connected to Mysore, Coorg, Bandipur, Nagarhole, and Ooty by regular
buses.
STAYING THERE
Forest lodges and rest houses are available in
the park region to stay. Another good option can be to stay in the
hotels at Kalpetta or Sulthan Bathery, which are nearby and have
better accommodation options.
LINKS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
All the postal and STD/ISD facilities are
available within the sanctuary region. Internet facilities are
widely available in Kozhikode. |