Paying greater attention to the conservation of flora and fauna in the northern region of Kerala, a new wildlife sanctuary has been proposed to be carved out.
The proposed Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary will cover 75 sq km of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve including the areas like Pannikootur reserve forests of the Peruvannamoozhi range,
Karapara, Olathuki, Shankaranpuzha and Attikkode regions.
Kakkayam and Peruvannamoozhi reservoirs will also be in the new sanctuary.
The Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Region) has prepared a comprehensive management plan for the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary and submitted it to the Chief Wildlife Warden for final approval.
According to Forest Department officials, the plan drawn up is a document detailing every aspect of the sanctuary including history of the region, geographical features, list of plants and animals, endangered species and the various
threats faced by forests in the area.
After studying the CCF's report, Union Government would allot funds for the sanctuary, a senior forest official said.
"Various studies and surveys done in the region have stressed the need to create new sanctuary here. Around 680 species of flowering plants, including 226 species endemic to
the Western Ghats have been identified here. A total of 41 species of mammals, including six Western Ghats endemic, 179 birds, including 10 Western Ghats endemic are also found," he
said.
About 36 reptile varieties with 12 Western Ghats endemic, 38 amphibians with 26 Western Ghats endemic and 52 fishes with eight Western Ghats endemic are also here.
With the creation of the sanctuary, the forest department will continue cataloging and researches with the help of institutions like the Malabar Natural History Society and the Kerala Forest Research Institute, he said.
Eco-tourism schemes and water conservation projects would also be implemented as a collaborative venture of forest department and local people living there.