Popularly known as Sairndhrivanam, the Silent Valley National Park in Kerala, India, is the main attraction in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. A distinctive example of a tropical rain forest, the government of India declared it as a national park back in 1984. Home to precious, rare herbs and plants, the park sprawls across 238 square kilometres and belongs to Indias Western Ghats.
Being the last extensive stretch of tropical evergreen rain forest in India, the park is inhabited by a wide variety of wildlife. Owing to soaring peaks and several rivers flowing through it, the park is unique among all national parks located in the country.
Among the animal species who call the park home are moths, butterflies and various mammals. One will also spot the pit viper, sambar, nilgai, wild bear, leopard, elephant, tiger, Nilgiri langur, giant Malabar squirrel, Lion-tailed Macaque and Great Indian Hornbill.
During the southwest monsoon season all regions of the park receive a good amount of rain, as a result of the presence of directional winds and hills. The deep gorges created by the wild river Kunti, the music of the birds and the dense forest all add up to enhance the allure of the park. Kunti is a perennial river which has unspoilt, crystal clear water.
Malay bittern, Ceylon frog mouth, great Indian hornbill, short-eared owl, penisular scops owl, shaheen falcon, rufous bellied hawk eagle and Indian black-crested baza are part of the parks bird population. This oasis of flora and fauna boasts nearly 1000 plant species. Among the flower families found here are Asteraceae, Rubiaceae, Febaceae and Orchidaceae. In addition to these several new varieties of flowering plants such as Silentavelleya nairii, Nydnocarpus pendulus, Porpax chandrasekharanhii, Hedyotis silentvalleyensis and Kanjaram palghatensis are grown here. Two Sri Lankan plant varieties - Anodendron rhinosporum and Scutellaria oblonga have also been recorded from the park recently.
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