Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary

Peppara, situated on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, is well known for the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary. It is about 50 km north-east of Thiruvananthapuram city enroute to Ponmudi. The sanctuary is spread over an area of 53 sq km. on the Western Ghats. Considering the ecological significance of the area, it was declared as a sanctuary during 1983. The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is composed of the dense forests and the Peppara dam constructed across the Karamana River. Parts of the Palode (24 sq km) and Kottoor reserves (29 sq km) form part of this sanctuary.

The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, with its rich fauna and birds, is a popular attraction to tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. This area is dotted with large hills and numerous hillocks with forests and Eucalyptus plantations. The sanctuary is home to elephants, sambhar, lion-tailed macaques, barking deer, wild boars, tigers, nilgiri langurs and leopards. The area has a variety of moths and butterflies. Several species of snakes including the king cobra and python are present in this sanctuary.