MATHIKETTAN SHOLA NATIONAL PARK

Mathikettan area is part of the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) notified in the Travancore Government gazette 24th August 1897, wherein the area was constituted as a Reserve Forest under section 18 of Regulation II of 1068. The control over the land rests with the Revenue department and tree growth with the Forest department. However in 2002 , Government have transferred 1281.7419 hectares of land to the administrative control of Forest department considering the unique nature of the Shola forests in Mathikettan and its importance as an elephant corridor. The erstwhile State Wildlife Advisory Board has also recommended to declare the area as a National Park. The Government therefore declared (Govt. order GO (MS) 50/2003 F&WLD dated 10th October 2003 ) an area of 1281.74 hectares in Udumbanchola Taluk, Poopara Village Idukki district as a National Park for protecting its ecological, faunal, floral and geographical wealth and its environment.