Kerala   

Focus on a new wildlife sanctuary

The Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary located on the western slopes of the Western Ghats is a 55 sq. km. area rich in biodiversity. The recently opened wildlife photo gallery at the sanctuary gives nature lovers a sense of diversity of the species of wildlife and plants in this tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest.

The gallery comprises 41 large panels of photographs of wildlife and plants taken mostly by local wildlife photographer Babu Kambrath. The panels are displayed in the hall at the entry to the sanctuary.

All the photographs are representative of the variety of animals and birds as well as plants found in the sanctuary and the Western Ghats region.

The sanctuary has common species such as deer, boar, elephant and bison as well as leopard, jungle cat and various types of squirrels that are sighted.

Kambrath said that the photographs were selected to ensure that it gave the visitor a feel of the sanctuary in advance.

"It is intended as a visual journey through the sanctuary that allows the visitor to understand the topography, vegetation and wildlife of the sanctuary."

The biodiversity as represented by the photographs includes plants, birds, butterflies, insects, mammals, reptiles as well as habitat types and important locations of the sanctuary.

According to Wildlife Warden of the sanctuary K.V. Uthaman, nearly 2,000 visitors, mostly students as part of nature camp programmes, come to the sanctuary every year.

The photos displayed at the hall is especially helpful to students who can get an idea of what the sanctuary is before they start their study tour.

A few photographs taken by him are also on display at the sanctuary.

Noted wildlife photographer T.N.A. Perumal, who visited the sanctuary last week to participate in the All India Butterflies Meet, inaugurated the gallery.

Mohamed Nazeer

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