Ranipuram Shola National Park / Wildlife Sanctuary (60 Km2, Proposed)
The proposed Ranipuram Wildlife sanctuary / National park consists of various Flora and Fauna which are endemic to Westernghat and yet to be studied as a biodiversity hotspot. It merges with Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karanata. The Ranipuram hill station which falls in Panathady reserve forest is an ideal area to convert in to a National park/wild life sanctuary. The evergreen and shola forest seen only here in this district. Elephants, Leopard, wild dogs, Deer, wild boar, macaques, jungle cats, leopards, slender loris, porcupine, malabar giant squirrels, malabar civet and rare butterflies and medicinal plants are found in these forest. Most of these highly endangered animals are killed by people due to lack of conservational awareness or to protect their crops. Ranipuram wild life sanctuary will be in contiguous to Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka.
For this purpose, nearby reserve forests such as Panathady, eleri and konnakad can be encompassed to an area of 80 km2 of forest. If it is declared as a wild life sanctuary, it may enhance the tourism industry of this district along with Ranipuram hill station. Declaring it as a Biodiversity/ wildlife sanctuary is the only way to protect this Westernghat biodiversity hotspot and to ensure its survival for future generation. Illegal country liquor are made deep in the jungle. Poaching of wild boar, porcupine, hares, deers and even monkeys for their meat take place mostly in the night. These are never reported to officials and inaccessibility of the region adds to the difficulty of surveillance. Which is why, Kerala Forest and wild life department, KFRI, TBGRI, ZSI officials have neglected this area and most of the central and other funds have been diverted to other nearby districts instead of setting up the park here.
Kasaragod district is surrounded by three forest districts, North by Dakshin Kannada (one NP and 2 wildlife sanctuaries), Kodagu in east (one NP and two wildlife sanctuaries) south by Kannur (one wildlife sanctuary and one elephant corridor). Till today, forest officials of this district have never sent any proposal to state forest department or central government, for setting up sanctuary here, although shola, evergreen and mangrove forests are seen here.
Frequent visits of elephants from the nearby reserve forest suggests that it once was an elephant migratory route. It can be successfully converted without any rehabilitation process as in the case of Malabar wildlife sanctuary of Kozhikode district.
The proposed Munnamkadavu Dam and Irrigation project may very useful to create fresh water ecosystem and later a wetland ecosystem to provide home for wild crocodile, otter, endangered fish and other water birds. Afforestation around the catchment area of dam reservoir will help to create another new wildlife sanctuary here in future and recreate lost wild elephant corridor. It is also an integral part of Brahmagiri biosphere.
Flora': Evergreen monsoon forest, shola, orchids, medicinal plants, grass lands etc.
Mammals: about 24 species mainly Elephants, wild bison, Leopard, wild dogs, mongoose, pangolin, Jungle cats, Malabar giant squirrels, Flying squirrels, fox, porcupine, bonnet macaques, Langur, Leopard cats, Deer, wild boar, slender loris, hares, squirrels, bats etc.
Birds: About 200 species mainly Great Indian horn bill, Paradise flying catcher, green barbet, peacock, trogon, wood pigeon, malabar grey horn bill, white bellied tree pie, heart spotted wood pecker etc..
Reptiles: King cobra, kraits, viper, rat snakes, Indian cobras, green whip snakes, monitor lizards etc.
Amphibians: About 19 species, Thousands of insects and spiders
About 100 species of butterflies including sword tail, forest nymph, malabar bird wing etc.
Read more about this topic: Ranipuram
Famous quotes containing the words wildlife, sanctuary, park and/or national:
“Russian forests crash down under the axe, billions of trees are dying, the habitations of animals and birds are layed waste, rivers grow shallow and dry up, marvelous landscapes are disappearing forever.... Man is endowed with creativity in order to multiply that which has been given him; he has not created, but destroyed. There are fewer and fewer forests, rivers are drying up, wildlife has become extinct, the climate is ruined, and the earth is becoming ever poorer and uglier.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“There is immunity in reading, immunity in formal society, in office routine, in the company of old friends and in the giving of officious help to strangers, but there is no sanctuary in one bed from the memory of another. The past with its anguish will break through every defence-line of custom and habit; we must sleep and therefore we must dream.”
—Cyril Connolly (1903–1974)
“Linnæus, setting out for Lapland, surveys his “comb” and “spare shirt,” “leathern breeches” and “gauze cap to keep off gnats,” with as much complacency as Bonaparte a park of artillery for the Russian campaign. The quiet bravery of the man is admirable.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“National isolation breeds national neurosis.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)