Pampadum Shola National Park, National park in Kerala, India
Pampadum Shola is a national park located in the Western Ghats with elevations ranging from around 1,900 to 2,500 meters. The terrain consists of steep mountain slopes covered with dense forests and varied plant life.
The reserve was established in 2003 to protect the ecological diversity of the mountain forests. Since then, it has become one of the important nature reserves for biodiversity in the Western Ghats.
The name Pampadum Shola comes from three Malayalam words: paampu (snake), aattam (dance) and chola (grassy forest near the high ranges), meaning "the forest where the snake dances". Eco-tourism activities are organised jointly by the Forest Department and the Eco Development Committees of local tribal communities.
April to September brings the most comfortable weather, and this is also the season recommended for tourism; November, December and January are the coldest months, with temperatures inside the forest having fallen to minus 2 °C. The park entrance check-post lies 7 km before Vattavada, about 35 km from Munnar on the Koviloor–Vattavada road. Visits are made with payment and in the company of forest officers.
The area shelters a remarkable collection of plant and animal species, including forms found nowhere else at this altitude. These endemic species make it a significant location for biological research.
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