Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary

The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes the catchments of the Peppara Dam on the Karamana River near Thiruvananthapuram, India.

The Peppara Dam was commissioned in 1983 to augment the drinking water supply to Thiruvananthapuram city and suburban areas. Considering the ecological significance of the area, it was declared a sanctuary in 1983. The area was formerly a part of the Paruthippally range of the Thiruvananthapuram Territorial Division. Forests consist of part of the Palode reserve (24 square kilometres (9.3 sq mi)) and part of Kottoor reserve (29 square kilometres (11 sq mi)). The total water spread of the reservoir is 5.82 square kilometres (2.25 sq mi). Recently, a joint effort has been made by Kerala Tourism with the State Forest Department and the Kerala Water Authority to beautify the dam site and provide more entertainment and leisure facilities here.

Location

The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on Thiruvanthapuram-Ponmudi Road, about 50 km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram.

Animals

The sanctuary has a rich population of mammalian fauna and is emerging as a big attraction to wildlife enthusiasts and ornithologists. 43 species of mammals, 233 species of birds, 46 species of reptiles, 13 species of amphibians and 27 species of fishes are reported from the sanctuary. The common mammals found are Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Elephant, Sambar (deer), Bonnet Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr etc.

Tourism Details

The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is 44 kilometres (27 mi) by car from the nearest railway station, at Thiruvananthapuram, and 49 kilometres (30 mi) from the Thiruvananthapuram airport.

• Accommodation: - No facilities by the Department. IB of Kerala Water Authority is very near to the headquarters.
• Best season to visit: January to March
• Closure Period: Open throughout the year
• Special Attractions: Trekking to forest area – Bonafalls, Vazahuvanthole water falls, Kalarkad waterfalls, visit to settlement areas etc.
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