Aralam: The Green Cover of North Malabar

     

      To an average malayali, Aralam is a land of controversies. The political controversies related to the tribal land issues made this beautiful place a controversial one, and now this issue takes the form of an epic protest as 'Nilpu Samaram' by some tribal organizations But aralam has another face of beauty and fragility, to a crazy jungle traveller, this is a land of promise. A biodiversity hot spot in western ghat . With an area 55 km2 this is the northernmost wildlife sanctuary of Kerala.

The forest distribution of aralam consists of Evergreen and Dry deciduous forests and the highest peak here is Katti betta.

 

    Aralam is famous for its birds and butterfly diversity, it is a butterfly and birdwatcher's delight, the birds like Malabar pied hornbill,Grey hornbill,Paradise flycatcher,Malabar trogon variety species of thrushes, flycatchers are a common sighting here.

                          The rare butterfly species like Papilio helenus, Papilio budha, Idea malabarica, Melanitis phedima, Mycalesis anaxias, Cyrestis thyodamas, Kallima were sighted here during the annual butterfly surveys.
 
        Aralam has a very good habitat of slender loris,  which IUCN Categorised as endangered

Every forests has its own river, they wet them ,fertilise them and hosting a variety of its species, the entire forest has a a deep bond with the river flowing through them. Aralam too has its own river, Cheenkannippuzha is the fertilizer and the guardian of aralam forest, a hanging bridge over the cheenkannippuzha connecting aralam with valayamchal area and thus to the more urbanised area of iritty and kannur.

A trek valayachal to ambalappara and bath in cheenkannippuzha will be a rejuvenating expereience to the traveller

Best Season: October - May

Emergency Details:
Wildlife Warden Valayanchal
Phone: 0490 2413160

For more information about KANNUR: [*00012960click here*]

Transport Terminals: Nearest City: Peravoor

Location: 35 km from Thalasserry and 60 km from Kannur town
One can reach the Aralam sanctuary by road from Thalasseri (45 kms) and Kannur (45kms).

How to Reach: Nearest Railway Station: Thalasserry, about 35 km
Nearest Airport: Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode about 71 km from Thalasserry town