Tribal people in the vanguard of conservation efforts at Eravikulam

40 residents of Lakkam Kudi, a settlement that falls within the boundary of ENP, form more than 60% of the total watchers employed at the national park

- NEJMA SULAIMAN@IDUKKI

AT 8 am, when the morning mist mingles with shards of sunlight blurring the Rajamala hills, 59-year-old Arumugam, a tribal forest watcher at the Eravikulam National Park (ENP) in Munnar is busy, managing the large crowd of tourists who have turned up at the park.

Arumugam is among the 59 tribal watchers, belonging to the Edamalakkudy tribal settlement located in the territorial area of the Eravikulam National Park, who are part of eco-tourism and conservation efforts of the forest department at the park.

Apart from them, 40 other tribal people from Lakkam Kudi, a settlement that falls within the boundary of ENP are also employed at the park. These tribal men, who form more than 60% of the total watchers employed at the park, act as the eyes and ears of the forest department by safeguarding the endangered flora and fauna and reporting any outside movements in and around the national park.