SILENT VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

 

 

SILENT VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Silent Valley forests also known as Sairandhri Vanam are located at the south western corner of the nilgiris in the western ghats. The local name Sairandhri Vanam is mythologically linked with the character in the Mahabharata. It is believed that this name could have given rights to in a distorted form the present name silent valley. Another version of the story is that the later name owned its origin to the relative absence of the Cicada insects which normally cause a distinctive sound in the forest.

Many years ago the people of this country fought a campaign to save Silent Valley form being submerged under the waters of the proposed hydel project. The international community of scientists and naturalists including IUCN and WWF had supported this popular movement. They had even initiated a legal battle before the Honourable High Court of Kerala. The legal battle was lost. Yet the Government of India and the Government of Kerala, swayed by the scientific findings, and perhaps inspired by vision and wisdom, conceded to the will of the people. Thus the campaign had a happy ending, the Silent Valley National Park was born on 15 November 1984 and the war was won by both contestants.

 HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF SILENT VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

 ØThe water sheds of Silent Valley area were first explored and investigated         as early as in 1847.

Ø  The forests of the Silent Valley area was notified as reserved forest in 1914

Ø Certain portions of the Silent Valley forest area were subjected to forestry operations during 1927 to 1976.

Ø  ØIn 1928-1929 the location at Sairandhri on Kunthipuzha was identificd as an     ideal site for power generation.

Ø ØThe inventory and investigations were carried out in 1958 and a hydel power project of 120 MW costing INR 17 crore was proposed by the Kerala State Electricity Board.

ØØThe national committee on environmental planning and co-ordination (NCEP) had studied the proposal for the hydel project and suggested 17 safe guards, in case the project cannot be abandoned. 

Ø ØIn 1977, the Kerala Forest Research Institute carried out an ecological impact study in Silent Valley area and proposed the area to declared as a biosphere reserve.

Ø ØIn 1978 the Hon. Prime Minister of India approved the project with the condition that the state government shall enact legislation for ensuring the necessary safety guards.

Ø ØIUCN (Ashkhabad,USSR. 1978) passed resolution recommending the protection of the lion-tailed macaque in Silent Valley area and Palakkad

ØØIn 1979. government of Kerala passed an enactment VIZ Silent Valley protection area (Protection of ecological balance) act 1079.

Ø ØDr. Salim Ali, eminent ornithologist visited the valley and appealed for abandoning the hydel project

Ø ØKerala Sasthra Sahithya parishath published a techno-economic and socio-political assessment report on the Silent Valley hydroelectric project.

Ø ØA writ petition was filed against the clear felling of forests in the hydroelectric project area before the Hon. High Court of kerala and the Hon. Court ordered to stop the clear felling.

Ø ØDr MS. Swaminathan, the renowned agricultural scientist visited the Silent Valley area and suggested to develop the Silent Valley and the adjoining forests as a national rain forest Biosphere reserve

ØØIn January 1980, Hon. High Court of Kerala lifted the stay order on clear felling

Ø ØIn 1980, Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Hon. Prime minister of India requested the government of Kerala to stop further works in the project area till all aspects were fully discussed.

ØØIn December 1980, government of Kerala declared the Silent Valley area, excluding the hydroelectric project area, as a  National Park.

Ø ØA multi-discipline committee, with prof. MGK. Menon as chairman was constituted to examine whether the hydroelectric project is feasible without any significant ecological damage.

Ø ØIn early 1983. Prof. Menon committee submitted its report

ØØAfter the careful study of the menon report the then Hon.Prime minister of India decided to abandon the hydroelectric project.

Ø Øon 15th November. 1984 the Silent Valley forests were declared as a National Park.

Ø ØOn 7th September 1985, the Silent Valley national park was formally inaugurated Shri. Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India

Ø  ØOn 1st September 1986, the Silent Valley National Park was included in the core area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Ø ØOn With June 2007 a Buffer Zone of 148 Sq. KM added to Silent Valley National Park.

Ø ØOn 23rd September 2007, Sri. V S Achuthanandan. The then Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala dedicated the Buffer Zone to the nation.

GEOPHYSICAL FEATURES

a.     LOCATION

The Silent Valley plateau is located at the south western corner of Nilgiris in Western ghats. It falls within the Revenue district of Palakkad and lies within the latitude 11°, 4N and 11°13'N and longitude 76°.24' W and 76°.29' E.

Eastern boundary is formed by Attappadi Reserve Forest For Mannarkkad Division, on the south are the vested forest of Mannarkkad Division. The western boundary is common with Mannarkkad Division and Nilambur South Division where as the boundary on the north is shared by Nilambur South Division and Mukurthi National Park of Tamil Nadu.

b. YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT

a.     Core Zone of Silent Valley Reserve as National Park vide 

        G.O.5462  FSA/3/82 dated 15th November 1984 

b.     Buffer Zone (part) Buffer Zone is declared on 11/6/07 vide GO (MS)             No. 36/07/F& WLD dated 11/6/2007 around the Park carving the area             from Mannarkkad Division(109 Sq.kms) and from Nilambur South                 Division (39 Sq.kms)

CLIMATE

Rainfall: Silent Valley has very high rainfall. The mean annual rainfall received from both southwest and northeast monsoon is 4400 mm.

Temperature: The mean annual temperature is 23 "c with April and May being the hottest months of the year

Relative humidity: The RH is often high and is around 95 % from June to December

Winds: Winds blow from south-west direction during April to September and from east direction during October to March

MAJOR PEAKS AND ALTITUDE

The elevation ranges from 900 M to 2.300 M above MSL with the highest peak at 2,383 M (Anginda peak).

FAUNA AND FLORA

The Silent Valley is virtually a botanist's treasure-trove. The flora of the valley include about a 1000 species of flowering plants. 107 species of orchids, 100 ferns and fern allies, 200 liverworts. 75 lichens and about 200 algae. Of these plants a good majority is endemic to the Western Ghats. The family Orchidaceae which is represented by more than 100 species at the Valley includes rare, endemic and highly endangered orchids as well. From amidst the lush vegetation and from the tree trunks and the crevices of rocks, they bloom in an abundance of colors and shapes. Ipsea malabarica, Bulbophyllum silentvalliensis, Eria tiagii are some of the rare orchids seen in the Valley.

Mammals

India is well known for her extensive diversity of primates with 19 species distributed all over the country of these only five species have been reported from Kerala State. They include two macaques (Bonnet macaque and Lion Tailed Macaque), two langurs (Nilgiri langur and Hanuman langur) and one prosimian (Slender loris). Among these, the lion- tailed macaque (Macaca silenus And Nilgiri Langur (Presbytis johnii), are highly endangered and endemic to the Western Ghats.

The distribution of the lion- tailed macaque is confined to the tropical wet evergreen forests, Silent Valley National Park. Two distinct populations of the lion-tailed Macaque occur on either side of the kunthipuzha river. Their distribution range is limited to the Cullenia Palaquium tree association areas at elevations ranging from 700 to 1500 m.a.s.L. In these areas a total of 14 distinct troops with 275 individuals occur with an average troop size of 19 individuals About 539 are adults and the rest immature; the adult sex ratio estimated is 1:5:6 females.

Unlike the lion-tailed macaque. Nilgiri langurs have a wide range of distribution extending from 400 to 2300 m.a.s.l in and around the Silent Valley National Park .Even though the main habitat af Nilgiri langur was described as the high altitude montane shola, they are found well adapted to the low altitude evergreen semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests in the border population of this primate with high density occurs in the medium altitude (900-1300 a.s.m.l) also. Nilgiri langurs are oflen sighted along with Hanuman langur troops foraging together in the fringes of moist deciduous forests of Mannarkkad Forest Division bordering the south - western region of the National Park. About 501 individuals belonging to 85 distinct troops occur in the National Park. Long term observation revealed that the major food items of the lion-tailed macaque are fruits, flower seeds and invertebrates on these the mesocarp of different fleshy fruits rank top. But during February, March, October, and November, the flower intake is higher than any other food items. The lion-tailed macaque depends on about 71 plant species for its diet. Amoung these Cullen carillata, Podlagidum ellipticum, Ficts Ieddamel, Ficus racemosa, Ficus amplissimu, Artocarpus heterophyllus Syzygium cumini , Mangifera indica, Turpinia Malabarica, Drypetes elata etc. are major species.

In the case of Nilgiri langur, the major food item is foliage of different tree species. They also feed on fruits. seeds, and bark. However, tender leaves and shoots are highly preferred by these monkeys.

Habitat fragmentation and poaching have affected the populations of lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri langur. Silent Valley National Park and Ashambu hills in the Agasthya forests are considered as the only viable habitat for lion- tailed macaque in its entire range of

distribution. Intensive management and conservation strategies should be adopted to ensure long term survival of these primates.

The Lion-Tailed Macaque

The lion- tailed macaque is one of the most endangered primates of India. confined in distribution to the rainforests of southern Western Ghats. They have adapted themselves to the evergreen environments available in the south Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It has recently been estimated that only 3.000 to 4,000 individuals survive in the wild . But most of the wild population exists as small populations due to extensive habitat fragmentation. Factors such as habitat fragmentation, reduced patch size and isolation of populations are leading to inbreeding, depression and vulnerability to random events, making the lion-tailed macaque a highly endangered species. Like all other macaques, they are omnivorous with a preponderance of wild fruit in their diet. Lion-tailed macaques are distinctive in having the least amount of foliage in their diet compared to other macaques. This is one of the most important reasons as to why they are restricted to evergreen forests. This kind of habitat with a multi layer canopy system can provide a year around food supply of mainly fruits and seeds for this macaque. Any deterioration in the quality of the habitat, as well as various factors affecting their continuity, will ultimately be a serious threat to the long term existence of the population. It has been noted that Ashambu hills in the extreme south, and Silent Valley to the north of Palakkad gap in Western Ghats are the only two viable habitats left for this endemic primate.