KNUCKLES RANGE

The Knuckles National Heritage and Wilderness Area, or, the Knuckles Mountain Range is a mountain range of 155sq km, that contains, five (5) major Forest formations, a very wide variety of rare and endemic fauna & flora, is a range with fascinating and breathtaking mountain scenery, a range that feeds the main agricultural region of the country, a range that together with the other formations of the central massif affects the very climate of the country by acting as a barrier for monsoonal winds and a range thereby, has become a factor dividing the country into wet and dry zones. This amazing mountain range which has all the above mentioned features, in appearance resembles a set knuckles of a closed fist thereby earning its’ name.

Of many fauna & flora found in region, about 50% of tree, 25% percent of flowering plants, 20% of ferns, 50% of reptiles & amphibians, are endemic to the island. A number of large mammals like elephants, leopards, sambhur, deer, a large numbers of reptiles, birds and fishes etc. are found in abundance. Among them, about 14 species of birds, 9 species of fishes, 5 species of mammals, 40 species of reptiles, 10 species of butterflies, 100 species of snails and 15 species of amphibians are endemic to the island. Out of these, Blotched Filamented Barb & Martins tine Barb (Fishes), Tenant's Horned Lizard, Marbled Cliff Frog, are endemic to this mountain range.

In the immediate area there are about 48 villages of which 9 are located within the conservation zone above 3500 ft. People in these villages depend very much on the forest for their livelihoods. In certain villages, cardamom cultivation is widespread. Clearing of the jungle, using of pesticides and other activities have become a threat to this region. The Forest Department is now attempting to take steps to end this destructive process gradually especially in the conservation zone.