Do you know?
Ecology and Biodiversity | Kerala PSC LDC
- Fact 1 of 8🌿
Western Ghats: a global biodiversity hotspot
The Western Ghats, which run along Kerala's eastern border, are one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots recognised worldwide, with many endemic plant and animal species. The range is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Fact 2 of 8🌳
Silent Valley: a rare evergreen forest
Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad protects one of the last large undisturbed tracts of tropical evergreen forest in India. Its conservation was a landmark case in Kerala's environmental history, and it is home to the lion-tailed macaque.
- Fact 3 of 8🐅
Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady
Periyar Tiger Reserve in Idukki district is one of India's Project Tiger reserves and is also known for its lake and wildlife tourism. It is a key example of protected-area management in Kerala.
- Fact 4 of 8🐘
Kerala's state animal
The Elephant is the state animal of Kerala. It is closely linked to the state's temple festivals and has been an important part of its cultural life for centuries.
- Fact 5 of 8🐦
Kerala's state bird
The Great Hornbill is the state bird of Kerala. It is a large forest bird that plays an important role in seed dispersal in the forests of the Western Ghats.
- Fact 6 of 8💧
Vembanad-Kol: a Ramsar wetland
Vembanad Lake, Kerala's largest lake, is part of the Vembanad-Kol wetland, which is a Ramsar site of international importance. Ramsar sites are protected under the Convention on Wetlands, signed in 1971.
- Fact 7 of 8🔺
Energy pyramids are always upright
In an ecological pyramid of energy, the energy available decreases at each higher trophic level, so the pyramid is always upright. Pyramids of biomass or numbers can sometimes be inverted, but energy pyramids cannot.
- Fact 8 of 8🛕
Kerala's sacred groves
Kerala's sacred groves, known as kavus, are small patches of forest protected by local communities as part of religious tradition. They act as biodiversity refuges and are an important example of community-based conservation.
