Ranni Forest Division, Forest division in Kerala, India
Ranni Forest Division is a forest area in the Kerala state of southern India and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Western Ghats. It covers three forest ranges that include different types of woodland, from lowland trees to denser hill forest, crossed by several rivers and streams.
This forest was officially organized as a separate division in 1958, bringing together several protected forests that already existed in the area. That step meant the land started to be managed as a single unit rather than as separate patches.
The Ulladan, Vettuvan, and Malavedan communities have lived in these forests for generations and know the land in ways that outsiders rarely do. Visitors who pass through the area may notice small settlements near the forest edge where daily life continues close to the trees.
The area can be reached through several forest stations that act as entry points for visitors. Paths through the forest are easier to walk during the dry months, which run roughly from November through February, as the ground is less slippery than after the monsoon.
The forest is home to hornbills and cobras, both of which benefit from the different layers of woodland that exist side by side here. The mix of open ground and dense canopy creates conditions that work for species with very different needs.
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