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FLORA
AND FAUNA
Thiruvananthapuram district is noted for its unique variety
of flora and fauna. The district has a rich variety of plants
ranging from rare orchids, medicinal plants and spices to
hedge plants, tuber crops, plants yielding edible fruits
and fibre. Aromatic plants and spices such as pepper and
ginger are cultivated on a large scale on the hilly tracts.
Nedumangad taluk is one of the biggest centres of cultivation
and trade of pepper and other hill produces.
A
major portion of the district comes under the middle plain
and the region is under the cultivation of coconut, paddy,
tapioca, tuber crops, plantains and vegetables.
The
forests of the district abound in a variety of animals &
birds and are excellent wild life habitats. Elephants, bisons,
monkeys and rare species of reptiles have the place of prominance
in them. The Neyyar reservoir and nearby areas abound in wild
life. Nestled in the lap of the Western Ghats, a wild life
sanctuary is fastly growing over an area of nearly 777 sq.
kms. around this reservoir. The forest under the Kulathupuzha
range is the habitat of rare species of snakes and lizards.
Mammals
are well represented in the district. Nilgiri Langur (Kasi
Fohnii), the Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca Silenus),
the Nilgiri brown mangoose (Herpestes fuscus) and the
Malabar civet (Moschothere Civettina) are characteristic
to this region. Carnivores include tiger, wild cat, jackal,
leopard and wild dog. sloth gear, gaur, a few species of deer
and elephants. are also seen. Reptiles include lizards, snakes,
crocodiles and tortoises. There are about 75-80 species of
snakes in this area and some of them are very poisonous.
FORESTS
Thiruvananthapuram district has a reserve forest area of
495.145 sq. kms and vested forest area of 3.534 sq. kms
spreading over three ranges, viz., the Kulathupuzha range
in the north, Palode range in the middle and the Paruthipalli
range in the south. These forests may be broadly classified
into three categories, namely, (a) southern tropical wet
ever green forests, (b) southern tropical and semi ever
green forests and (c) southern tropical moist deciduous
forests.
Veeti
(Dalbergia latifolia), Thembavu (Terminalia Curennlata),
Aini (Arto Carpus Hirsutus), Plavu (Arto-carpus
integritolia), Akil (Dysoxylum Malabarium), Venga
(Ptrocarpus Morsupium ), Venthekku (Lager Stromia
lunceolata), Manjakadamb (Adina Cordifolia) and
Irul (Xylia-xylocarpa) constitute the important timber
species.
Social
forestry programmes are being implemented under the World
Bank aided Kerala Social Forestry Project, National Rural
Employment Programme (NREP) and Rural Fuel Wood Schemes
to assist small and marginal farmers.
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