South Western Ghats montane rain forests, Mountain rainforest in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, India
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests spread across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu at elevations between 1,000 and 2,700 meters. These forests receive some of the heaviest rainfall in the country, well over 2,800 millimeters annually.
The region took shape around 150 million years ago during the Gondwana period, when continents were arranged differently and geological forces created the present-day mountains. This ancient origin deeply influenced which species evolved and thrived here.
The Paliyan people mark time by the twelve-year flowering cycle of Neelakurinji shrubs, which turn the mountainsides into fields of blue blooms. This natural rhythm has guided their understanding of seasons and time for many generations.
Protected areas spread across roughly 6,000 square kilometers and include major national parks like Periyar and Silent Valley, offering trekking and wildlife viewing. The best months to visit are October through March, when rainfall is lighter and trails are more accessible.
The forest houses 138 endemic frog species out of 158 total, including the purple frog, a creature that has changed little since the Jurassic period. This remarkable concentration of frogs found nowhere else on Earth makes the region extraordinary from an evolutionary standpoint.
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