Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary

Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest reserve in Kannur district on the western slopes of the Western Ghats, covering terrain at elevations between 650 and 1,150 meters (2,130 and 3,770 feet). The land contains dense forest with diverse habitats supporting various wildlife species.

The sanctuary was established in 1984 when sections of the Odanthode Malavaram forest were transformed from Thalassery special division into a protected wildlife reserve. This conversion aimed to preserve a strategic forest corridor between states.

The sanctuary holds meaning for local communities as a forest that preserves traditional woodland resources and maintains the connection between the forests of Kerala and Karnataka.

The sanctuary is accessible via roads from Thalasseri or Kannur, with basic lodging available for visitors. The best time to visit is after the monsoon season when paths are drier and easier to navigate.

The area receives around 5,000 millimeters of annual rainfall, supporting specialized forest vegetation in the hill folds and creating rich ecological conditions. These extreme precipitation levels enable about 188 bird species to thrive in this relatively small forest area.