Pambadum Shola National Park
| Pampadum Shola National Park പാമ്പാടും ഷോല വന്യജീവി സംരക്ഷ്ണ കേന്ദ്രം |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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 Pampadum Shola NP
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| Location | Devikulam taluk, Idukki district, Kerala, South India |
| Nearest city | Marayoor |
| Coordinates | 10°8′38″N 77°16′1″E / 10.14389°N 77.26694°ECoordinates: 10°8′38″N 77°16′1″E / 10.14389°N 77.26694°E |
| Area | 1.32 km2 (0.51 sq mi) Elevation: 1,886 meters (6,188 ft) to 2,531 meters (8,304 ft) |
| Established | 2003 |
| Governing body | Kerala State Forest and Wild Life Department |
Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallest national park in Kerala state, South India. The park is administered by the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, Munnar Wildlife Division, together with the nearby Mathikettan Shola National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kurinjimala Sanctuary. The park adjoins the Allinagaram Reserved Forest within the proposed Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including these parks, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.
The name´"Pampadum Shola" means, "the forest where the snake dances", derived from three Tamil (one of the Dravidian languages) words, "paamp", which means "snake"; "aattam", means "dance"; and "cholai", means "forest". "Shola" may be considered as a mis-speller of "cholai".
The park protects a moderate amount of montane evergreen shola forest that is associated with the wildlife rich Eravikulam National Park.
There are various types of medicinal plants (herbs), of which studies have been made. After the forest range there are grandis (a variety of eucalyptus) that threatens the ecology of the area due to its dehydrating and quick-spreading character. These trees as well as the private legal and illegal plantations of the same trees remain as a living danger. The eucalyptus trees (grandis) that eat up the unique eco-system is yet to be a consideration of the forestry. The national park with its unique richness of uncontaminated "humus", has been an interest of studies recently.
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Wikipedia