Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala
This wildlife sanctuary is located at the Neyyattinkara division of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India, and was declared as such in 1958.
It is nestled in the south-east corner of the Western-Ghats and serves as the drainage basin of the River Neyyar and its tributaries, Kallar and Mullayar. Given it rich and diverse natural surroundings, there are a number of species of flora and fauna found here (including rare ones), making the place an ideal gene pool reserve.
The animals that live in the tropical wet evergreen forests and grasslands in this sanctuary include elephants, tigers, Nilgiri tahrs, Nilgiri langurs, sloth bears, sambars, gaur, barking deer, Malabar squirrels, Indian porcupines, lion-tailed macaques, wild boars and jungle cats.
All in all the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary has been a favorite destination with visitors on a vacation to Kerala for spotting 39 species of mammals, 40 species of fishes and 17 species of amphibians.
Other major attractions that draw visitors in and around this place include a crocodile farm, which was established in 1977, together with the Steve Irwin Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre; the Deer Farm and Lion Safari Park; the placid Neyyar Lake; the Agasthyakoodam Peak, which is the second highest peak of Kerala, standing at a height of 1,890 meters; and the Neyyar Reservoir, which extends over an area of 9.06 square kilometers.