Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Located in Devikulam Taluk on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, this sanctuary covers over 90sq.km. It is 60km from Munnar and is best known for the Malabar giant squirrel and the white bison. You can also spot elephants, wild boar, deer, sambar, gaur and macaques. The Giant Grizzled Squirrel is an endangered species found in this area.

Chinnar was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1984 and is contiguous with the Indira Gandhi National Park and Eravikulam National Park. It is generally covered by dry deciduous forests, high shoals, wet grasslands and thorny scrub forests. Some areas have naturally-growing sandalwood trees. You can find more than 1,000 flowering plants and some medicinal ones. You need permission from the wildlife warden, Idukki Wild Division, Painavu Wildlife DFO, Munnar.

Trekking trails within the sanctuary are winding and hardy. The altitiude varies from 500m to 2,400m. Kottakombumalai (2,144m), Vellaikalmalai (1,863m) and Viriyoottumalai(1,845m) are the tallest peaks. You can visit this sanctuary throughout the year except during the Monsoon during October-November.