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| Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary |
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The Aralam wildlife sanctuary, located 45 km east of Kannur, is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The sanctuary, frequented by nature lovers, sprawls over an area of 55 sq. km on the western slopes of the Western Ghats. The sanctuary, established in 1984, is administered by the Wayanad division and headquartered at Iritty.
Flora and fauna
The various types of forests found in the Aralam wildlife sanctuary include the tropical evergreen, tropical semi-evergreen, south Indian moist deciduous and hilltop evergreen forests and plantations. Animals generally found in the Western Ghats such as Sambar deer, Elephants, Peacocks, Lion-tailed Macaques, Boars, the Common Langur, wild dogs, the Common Otter and the Malabar Giant Squirrel and so on can be found here. Tigers and Bison are spotted occasionally.
There are about 23 species of mammals and more than 150 species of birds here. Eight of the bird species belong to the group of globally threatened species of birds. The rare and endangered birds here include, among others, the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, the Blue-winged Parakeet, the Malabar Pied Hornbill, the Great Pied Hornbill and the Ceylon Frogmouth.
In a recent survey conducted in the sanctuary, the water bird called the Oriental Darter, the Hen Harrier and a migrant bird from Europe and Central Asia, the Forest Eagle-Owl which preys on small mammals, the Speckled Piculet and the Tawny Eagle were identified.
Thirty-nine species of fishes have been identified in the streams and rivers of this area and 172 species of butterflies. There are reptiles belonging to 22 species, out of which nine are snakes. These include venomous snakes like the King Cobra and other non-venomous varieties.
Topography and climate
The landscape of Aralam wildlife sanctuary shows elevations ranging from 50 meters to 1145 meters. At more than 1000 metres above the sea level, Katti Betta is the highest peak in this region. The temperatures, which vary according to the elevation from sea level, ranges from 20 degrees to 40 degree Celsius on the plains and falls down to a minimum of eight degrees in the areas of high altitude.
The sanctuary enjoys a rainfall of 3000 millimetres annually and is enriched by several streams and rivers including River Aralam.
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