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The picturesque lake in the heart of the sanctuary was originally 26 sq km but now spans an area of 55 sq km. This perennial source of water, which initially led to the submersion of large tracts of forestland, slowly attracted wild animals.
It eventually resulted in the adjoining forests being granted protection by the Maharaja of Travancore. Post-1975 Periyar finds itself in the enviable position of being a national park as well as a protected tiger reserve.
Periyar is a veritable paradise of elephants. Herds of playful wild elephants have made Periyar Lake their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Scores of them can be witnessed bathing and swimming here. The Indian female elephants do not posses tusks like their African relatives. They are also not as swarthy as their African counterparts. Other inhabitants of Periyar include the
leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear. There are approximately 40
tigers in the area as per the latest reports. The tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are elusive creatures. However, an early morning visit, with luck on your side, could yield results.
Planning a trip to Periyar? Enjoy the best of tour packages. For many tourists, Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. Go through our tour offers for Periyar and decide which one is the best for you. If you are not looking for the one given here, call us. We will create the best package according to your needs and interest. 123indiatravel.com also offers all inclusive tour packages for Periyar and other places in India. Please contact us for the same.
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