Parambikulam

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is the home of 4 different indigenous communities viz., Kadar, Malasar, Muduvar and Malamalasar.

It was during 1906 Sri. Ananthakrishna Iyer, the ethnographer for the Dewan of Cochin officially enlisted these communities. Linguistically these communities are classified as Dravidian. These four ethnic groups are settled in six colonies. The other human settlement is known as P.A.P. colony which came into existence during the 1950's and 1960's during the construction of three dams for Parambikulam-Aliyar Project which is an inter-state multipurpose project.

Parambikulam is located in Palakkad district of Kerala state, south India. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, 10°28′N 76°50′E established in 1973 is a Sungam range sprawling over 285 km². It is at a distance of 135 km from Palakkad town and is situated adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

Besides being an abode of elephants, wild boar, sambar, Gaur, crocodiles, and a few tigers and panthers, it has rich diversity of flora and fauna. Trekking in the forest is allowed with prior permission. Boating is available at the reservoir. There is the Kannimara Teak Tree, which is said to be Asia’s largest, near Thunakadavu.