Conservation History of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is situated adjacent to Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka on the north-east and Mudumalai in Tamilnadu on the south-east. This sanctuary was established in 1973 as an essential part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. As history beckons, this land was the battlefield for fighting between the British and Pazhassi Raja.

Conservation of the biological heritage in the region has been the chief objective in establishing this natural reserve. Therefore, the sanctuary is conserved following scientific processes, keeping the general lifestyle of the tribal and other locals living on the fringes of the forest in mind.

The forest is preserved to the delight of thousands of visitors annually. The rich flora and fauna of the reserve are noticeable everywhere. The 345 sq. km. sanctuary comprises occasional hillocks and dense and thick forests. The park’s conserved vegetation includes teak, eucalyptus, and grevelia trees. The climate has played its part in the growth of vegetation.

Wayanad Wildlife Reserve is also known for its elephant population, which has increased significantly after the sanctuary was inducted under Project Elephant. It was launched in 1991-92 to protect the wild elephant population.