Context:
A female elephant recently died due to apparent electrocution near a tribal colony close to the Peechi wildlife sanctuary in Kerala’s Thrissur district.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary
- Location: Situated in Thrissur District, Kerala.
- Establishment and Area: Covering an area of 125 square kilometers, the sanctuary was established in 1958.
- Catchment Area: It lies within the catchment areas of both the Peechi and Vazhani Dams.
- Forestry Link: This sanctuary is a part of the Palapilli-Nelliampathy forests and forms the northern boundary of the Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary.
Vegetation and Terrain
- Forest Types: The sanctuary is home to tropical evergreen, tropical semievergreen, and moist deciduous forests.
- Terrain: The landscape is undulating with altitudes ranging from 100 to 914 meters, the highest point being Ponmudi.
Flora
- The sanctuary hosts more than 50 species of orchids, numerous rare medicinal plants, and trees with high commercial value like teak and rosewood.
Fauna
- The sanctuary supports a diverse wildlife population, including over 25 species of mammals. It is home to carnivores like leopards, tigers, and foxes, along with herbivores like elk, deer, barking deer, spotted deer, gaur, and elephants.
-Source: The Hindu
