Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary

Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary



Aralam wildlife sanctuary is the northernmost protected area of Kerala state, situated in the southeast part of Kannur District. It lies between 11° 54 and 11° 59  North latitude and 75° 47  and 75° 57 East longitude.
The sanctuary area falls in Aralam, Kelakam and Kottiyoor revenue villages and is located in the Northwest slopes of Western Ghats contiguous with the forests of Coorg (Kodagu) district of Karnataka state.
The PA (Protected Area) is comprised of Aralam Range, the only Range of Aralam wildlife division, which is part of Northern Wildlife Circle (Northern Region) Palakkad. The extent of the sanctuary is 55 km² .

The sanctuary was constituted in the year 1984 as per GO (P) 300/84/AD dated 15-10-84.
It was formed by carving out areas from the Odanthode Malavaram of Thalassery special division which was an erstwhile private forest, subsequently taken over by Govt. as per the provisions of the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and assignment) Act 1971 and from the Kottiyoor RF of Wayanad Forest Division.
The Vested Forest portion of the sanctuary is 32.64 km² and the 22.36 km² is part of Kottiyoor RF (Reserved Forest).

Till 30.6.98 this sanctuary was a Range in Wayanad Wildlife Division. It started functioning as an independent wildlife division since 1.7.98 as per GO (MS) 36/98 dated 27.5.98.
In the First Management Plan the entire area was divided in to two zones viz: the Core Zone and the Buffer Zone.
The Aralam Sanctuary is spread over 55 sq km of undulating forested highlands on the slopes of the Western Ghats. The highest peak here - Katti Betta - rises to a majestic 1145 m above sea level.
Covered with tropical and semi evergreen forests, the Aralam Sanctuary is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna endemic to the Western Ghats. Elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Nilgiri langur, Hanuman langur, Malabar giant squirrel, etc can be seen here.
Aralam, a village in Thalasserry, is also noted for the Central State Farm, a 3060 hectare farm started in 1971 by the Government of India. This is one of the main production centres of hybrid coconut seeds in the country.

Getting there:
Nearest railway station:  Thalasserry, about 35 km.
Nearest airport:  Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode about 71 km from Thalasserry town.

Situation:Northern most protected area of Kerala and situated in South east Kannur District.

Location:
Latitude 110 541 and 110 591 North Longitude 750 471 and 750 871 East