Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary

• Suspected Maoists reportedly opened fire at Forest department watchers at the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kannur in Kerala recently.

ABOUT ARALAM WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• It is spread over a 55 sq. km area of forests on the Western Ghats in Kannur district.
• It is the northernmost wildlife sanctuary of Kerala.
• It was established in 1984.
• The great Katti Betta, is the tallest peak in the area, which is 1145m high.
• The river Cheenkani flows through this wildlife sanctuary.
• The entire area is covered in tropical and semi-evergreen forests.
• Fauna- elephants, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Nilgiri Langur, Hanuman Langur and the Malabar Giant Squirrel.
• It is also famous for the vast amount of butterfly species found here.
• Most of these are endemic to the Western Ghats.
• Aralam village itself houses the famous Central State Farm, a government of India initiative built in 1971.
  • This is one of the main production centres of hybrid coconut seeds in the country.