The 777 square kilometre Periyar Tiger Reserve is home to 63 species of mammals, 323 species of birds, 45 species of reptiles and 1966 plant species, including 171 grasses and 143 orchids. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. It contains the famous Periyar Lake which was created in 1895. The lake covers an area of 26 kilometers. There are many activities organised for tourists by the Forest Department in the Tiger Reserve including boating, trekking, bamboo rafting and camping.
Local people who once earned their livelihood by illegal operations in the forest are now in charge of guarding vulnerable parts of the reserve. The ecotourism projects run by the Forest Department such as Border Hiking, the Periyar Tiger trail and Jungle Patrol assist in forest conservation and local community welfare by allowing tourists to accompany these local people in their surveillance duties, and contributing financially to this vital conservation work.
