:Pampadum Shola National Park
{{Short description|National park in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox Protected area
| name =Pampadum Shola National Park
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Pampadumshola.jpg
| photo_alt = Wildlife sign at observation tower
| photo_caption =
| photo_width =
| map = Kerala
| label =Pampadum Shola NP
| label_position = left
| location =Near Vattavada, Devikulam taluk, Idukki district, Kerala, South India
| nearest_city = Marayoor
| established = 2003
| coordinates = {{coord|10|8|38|N|77|16|1|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| area ={{convert|1.32|km2|sqmi|abbr=on|2}}
Elevation:
{{convert|1886|m|ft|sp=us}} to {{convert|2531|m|ft|sp=us}}
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [http://forest.kerala.gov.in Kerala State Forest and Wild Life Department ]}}
Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallest national park in Idukki district of Kerala in India. It is on the border with Kodaikanal, Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu.{{cite web|url=http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/isbeid/forest.htm |last=Envis Kerala |year=2009 |title=Forest |publisher=Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment |access-date=2009-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311001130/http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/isbeid/forest.htm |archive-date=11 March 2008 }}Online Highways LLC. (2004) India | Kerala | Devikulam
Pambadum Shola National Park, retrieved 6/4/2007 [http://www.india9.com/i9show/Pambadum-Shola-National-Park-57785.htm] The park is administered by the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, Munnar Wildlife Division, together with the nearby Mathikettan Shola National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kurinjimala Sanctuary.K.S. Sudhi (3 November 2006) The Hindu, retrieved 21 June 2007 [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930235251/http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/03/stories/2006110300820200.htm New lives bloom in] Rajamala The park adjoins the Allinagaram Reserved Forest within the proposed Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.It is a part of Palani hills stretched up to Vandaravu peak. The Westerns Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including these parks, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.UNESCO, World Heritage sites, Tentative lists, Western Ghats sub cluster, Niligiris. retrieved 4/20/2007 [https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2103/ World Heritage sites, Tentative lists]
Etymology
The name´"Pampadum Shola" means, "the forest where the snake dances", derived from three Malayalam words, "paampu(പാംപ്)", which means "snake"; "aattam", means "dance"; and "chola(ചോല), means "grassy forests near the high range". "Shola" may be considered an anglicized version of "chola".
Flora
The park protects a moderate amount of montane evergreen shola forest that is associated with the wildlife rich Eravikulam National Park.{{cite web|url=http://ficuswildlife.com/Scheduled09_10/Pampadum_Shola_NP_files/Pampadum.pdf|title=Pampadum Shola National Park|year=2009|publisher=Ficus Wildlife & Natural History Tours.|access-date=2009-10-21|location=19 Maharani Chinnamba Road Alwarpet, Chennai – 600018}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
There are various types of medicinal plants (herbs), of which studies have been made. After the forest range there are grandis (a variety of eucalyptus) that threaten the ecology of the area due to their dehydrating and quick-spreading character. These trees as well as the private legal and illegal plantations of the same trees remain as a living danger. The eucalyptus trees (grandis) that eat up the unique eco-system is yet to be a consideration of the forestry. The national park with its unique richness of uncontaminated "humus", has been an interest of studies recently.
Fauna
File:Gaur-Pampadumchola national park.jpg
File:Columba elphinstonii.jpg)]]
The keystone species here is the highly elusive and endangered, endemic small carnivore – the Nilgiri marten. Leopards and Indian wild dogs are sometimes sighted at dusk or dawn, tigers are an important animal of the park.[http://expert-eyes.org/parks.html Mathew Roy, Kerala, Small National Parks] The Old Kodaikanal–Munnar Road nearby is closed due to the growing population of wildlife such as elephants, buffaloes, lion tailed macaque, gaur and Nilgiri langurs.
Some notable birds found here include the Nilgiri wood-pigeon, white-bellied shortwing, vernal hanging parrot, blue rock-thrush, blue-capped rock-thrush and Nilgiri flycatcher, and black-and-orange flycatchers.
Visiting
File:Vandaravu tower+signs.jpg
The Forest Department provides opportunity to experience the beauty of Pampadum Shola National Park to the curious tourists and research fellows. A special welcome board is placed at the entrance of the National Park, at the Check-post, which is 7 km before reaching Vattavada. These days the National Park is open to the tourists with payment, and the accompaniment of the forest officers, for the safety of the forest as well as of the people. The evergreen trees and the water sources become the habitat of various birds and animals. This thick green forest is situated almost 35 km away from Munnar, towards the road to Koviloor and Vattavada.
Nearby villages
The adjacent villages beyond the National Park are Urkkad, Vattavada, Koviloor, and Kottakamboor, with its rich vegetable cultivations.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Pampadum Shola National Park}}
{{Protected areas of Kerala}}
{{National Parks of India}}
Category:National parks in Kerala
Category:Protected areas established in 2003
Category:2003 establishments in Kerala
Category:Protected areas of Kerala