Konni Reserve Forest — Attraction in Kerala



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Konni Forest Division

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The Konni Forest Division is located in Kerala, India, and covers an area of about 331.66 square kilometres (128.05 sq mi).1] It is the first reserve forest in Kerala, which was declared on 9 October 1888 under the Travancore Forest Act of 1887.[2] The division is part of the Western Ghats, which were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1 July 2012.[3] The forest area is a repository of many endemic species of the Western Ghats.[4]

Konni Forest Division Malayalam: കോന്നി വനം ഡിവിഷൻ

Kallar river at Adavi, an eco-tourism destination under the Konni range of Konni Forest Division

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Location in Kerala

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GeographyLocationKerala, IndiaCoordinates9°13′50″N 76°51′07″EElevationHighest: 997 m (3,271 ft)Area331.66 km2 (128.05 sq mi)AdministrationStatusReserve forestEstablished9 October 1888Governing bodyKerala Forest and Wildlife DepartmentWebsiteforest.kerala.gov.inEcologyDisturbancePlantation, poaching

Overview

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It falls under Karunagappally, Kunnathur and Pathanapuram taluks of Kollam district and Adoor, Kozhencherry taluks of Pathanamthitta district.[5] Consisting of the Konni, Naduvathummoozhy and Mannarappara ranges, the division belongs to the southern circle of the Kerala Forest Department.[6]

The division covers a total area of 331.655 km2 (128.053 sq mi), of which 320.553 km2 (123.766 sq mi) are reserved forest, 11.021 km2 (4.255 sq mi) are reserved land, and 0.081582 km2 (0.031499 sq mi) are government lands.[7] With 8,294 ha (20,490 acres) of teak plantations, it has the largest teak plantation area in Kerala.[7]

Landscape

Climate

Boundaries



Ranges and stations

Types of forests

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Konni forest division has tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.[4] The major forest types of Konni division are:

West Coast Tropical Evergreen Forests

West Coast Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forests

Southern Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests

Wet Reed Brakes

Southern Montane Wet Grasslands

Fauna

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Mammals

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About 29 species of mammals are found in the Konni division. These include tiger, leopard, leopard cat, elephant, gaur, wild boar, jungle cat, wild dog, jackal, common mongoose, stripe-necked mongoose, toddy cat, small Indian civet, barking deer, sambar deer, mouse deer, Indian pangolin, sloth bear, Nilgiri langur, gray langur, Travancore flying squirrel, Indian giant squirrel, Indian porcupine, Indian hare, Indian mole rat, bandicoot rat, bonnet macaque, slender loris and fulvous fruit bat.[7

Birds

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Crested serpent eagle photographed in the Konni forest range

Konni division is one of the IBAs (Important Bird Area) of India.[10] About 133 species of birds were recorded from the division. Endemic birds of the western ghats such as Malabar grey hornbill, Nilgiri wood pigeon, white-bellied treepie and white-cheeked barbet are seen here.[4] Although rare, great hornbills are also seen. Pariah kite, Brahminy kite, jungle myna, hill myna, crow pheasant, white-headed babbler, blue-winged parakeet, Indian lorikeet, spotted dove, emerald dove and mountain imperial pigeon are other species found here.[7]

Reptiles

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The important reptile species found here are monitor lizard, garden lizard, flying lizard, skink, cobra, king cobra, python, viper, krait, rat snake, tree snake and turtle.[7]

See also

References

Last edited 2 months ago by Citation bot

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If you are looking for a total cut off from civilization then this is perhaps one of the place for you within Kerala .With few and limited visitors this place still stand virgin amongst many .Its Deep jungles , teak plantations , rubber estates , streams and of course the beautiful achankovil river follows you till the end of your journey , makes it one of the beautiful destinations for travellers and nature enthusiasts . One can enjoy the deep wilderness and have a dip in the beautiful river ,make sure u look for a safe spot as the river is full of slippery rocks and deep channels .The season I travelled was dry and mostly the river has dried out in many places letting it shallow and exposing the bed rocks .This is one of the forest ranges in Kerala where you can access these deep jungles without any restrictions , thanks to achankovil temple. There are few waterfalls along the way where you can take pitstops and enjoy . The famous kumbhavarutty falls remains on the way once after u continue the journey towards achankovil and schenkottai .If you are lucky enough u can spot lot of wild life including variety of birds and fishes and for your info this is an elephant country ,one has to be really careful if you are travelling in early mornings or late evenings as there are lot of local stories regarding elephant attacks resulting in fatalities . Overall an excellent place for travellers , off road enthusiasts and...

Konni, famous for the elephant training happening in the state attracts a huge number of visitors every year. People visit here to see the biggest animal on land in close quarters without fear. One of the major attractions at Konni is the giant wooden cages or the elephant kraals used to house the elephants. Locally known as Aanakoodu, they can house up to 3 to 4 elephants at a time. The place also has a children’s park. The centre is closed on Mondays. With a 5-km stretch broadened by the Kallar River, Adavi welcomes you to experience nature at its best. The package is available in two slots – one is short ride and the other long ride. The place is best during monsoon as the river is full and you can experience the fresh air, and soak yourself in the scenery of pristine greenery, and clear waters of the Kallar River. A bus tour to Gavi from Adavi will gasp you whenever the thick curtain of woods part to give you glimpses of stunning landscapes. On the way, you can see some of the beautiful dams in Kerala – Moozhiyar, Kakki, and Anathodu. You can also see the waters of Kochu Pamba at Gavi and on the return journey, you can see plantation towns of Vandiperiyar, Peerumedu, Mundakayam, and Ranni. This is a full day programme and lunch is arranged at Gavi. The huge array of rocks narrates the story of a hunter and his mistress, and attracts hordes...