Seven Iconic Wild Animals Found In Kerala And Where To See Them

Kerala, nicknamed "God's Own Country" is regarded as one of India's most beautiful states. It stretches from the shores of the Lakshadweep Sea to the west to the Western Ghats mountain range to the east and encompasses a variety of rivers, lakes, and wetlands. It is thus home to diverse ecosystems that host a great diversity of species. Here are seven iconic animals that you must try to see while in Kerala.

Indian Elephant

The Indian elephant. Image credit: Athul Iyju Jacob via Wikimedia Commons.

Kerala has a love-hate relationship with its state animal - the elephant. While the state is home to a large population of wild elephants, it also has over 700 captive ones who, according to animal rights activists, are subjected to extreme cruelty in the temples and timber yards of the state. The wild elephant population of the state also has undergone a decline from 1,920 in 2023 to 1,793 in 2024. According to the state forest department, the fall is due to an extremely dry season, which results in the migration of elephants outside the state. Kerala has four elephant reserves to protect its wild elephant population - Periyar, Wayanad, Anamudi, and Nilambur. According to reports, elephant-human conflict cases in Kerala are rising due to the loss, fragmentation, and degradation of elephant habitats in the state.

Malabar Banded Peacock

A Malabar banded peacock. Image credit: Vinayaraj via Wikimedia Commons.

This beautiful butterfly is truly a gem of nature that is, however, fast disappearing in the state where it is the state butterfly. The Malabar banded peacock is losing its only host plant, the Mullilam trees, to rapid development. The butterfly lays its eggs on this host plant. However, this plant is being cleared off from home compounds and private properties as the public is unaware of its importance. Thus, some NGOs in Kerala have launched programs to plant the Mullilam trees in the state to ensure these butterflies do not disappear. The butterfly can be spotted in the Malabar region of Kerala.

Great Indian Hornbill

A great Indian hornbill. Image credit: Kalyanvarma via Wikimedia Commons.

The Athirappilly-Vazhachal-Nelliyampathy forests of Kerala are a great location to spot this majestic bird, who is also the State Bird of Kerala. The forest is also home to three other hornbill species, the Indian grey hornbill, the Malabar grey hornbill, and the Malabar pied hornbill. The Kadar tribe that live in the forest were once hornbill hunters who would kill these birds for meat and collect their eggs for use in traditional medicine. However, these people are now aware of the need to save these birds to protect the forest ecosystem and have given up hunting and concentrate on protecting these birds. The great hornbill continues to be a threatened species, listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. These birds are primarily frugivorous and prefer dense, old-growth forests. Hence, deforestation is a major threat to the species.

King Cobra

A king cobra. Image credit: Michael Allen Smith from Seattle via Wikimedia Commons

What is hot and humid tropical Kerala without its snakes? Well, the state is home to many species of venomous and non-venomous snakes, including the king cobra. The best place for herping in Kerala is the hill station of Munnar, which is not just verdant and tranquil but also thriving in biodiversity. The  Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is also another place where you might get to see the King. The King cobra, which grows up to 18.4 feet, is known to feed on other snakes including cobras; hence, its scientific name, "Ophiophagus", means "snake-eating." It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. More recently, research by herpetologist Gowri Shankar found king cobras to belong to four distinct species with the one found in the Western Ghats being named Western Ghats king cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga).

Sri Lanka Frogmouth

A pair of Sri Lankan frogmouth in the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Kerala. Image credit: Shanthanu Bhardwaj via Wikimedia Commons.

You can spot these interesting-looking birds in the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary of Kerala. However, it is extremely difficult to see these birds because of the excellent camoflage they exhibit. Their colour resembles dried leaves and branches and they sit on branches of trees in tropical forests, making it difficult to identify them. They are nocturnal species and can be detected by its loud sound during dusk.

Nilgiri Tahr

Nilgiri Tahr with tea gardens in the background at Eravikulam National Park, Munnar, Kerala. Image credit: Sankara Subramanian via Flickr.com.

The Nilgiri tahr, an endangered species, is only found in India, where it is endemic to the southern part of the Western Ghats. It is found only in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a stocky goat with curved horns found in the open montane grasslands with interspersed shola forested habitats. In Kerala, it can be spotted in the Eravikulam National Park, which houses the largest population of this ungulate, which is around 850 individuals. The species suffers from habitat fragmentation and also competition for grazing with local livestock, habitat destruction due to monoculture plantations, hydroelectric projects, and occasional poaching for meat and skin.

Humpback Dolphin

A humpback dolphin. Image credit: Blue Dolphin Marine Tours via Flickr.com.

Given that Kerala has a long coastline, marine animals must definitely feature on this list. So, here comes the entry of humpback dolphins. These beautiful, playful mammals can be observed from several locations in Kerala. The Cherai Beach on Vypin Island in Kochi is an excellent place to go boating for dolphin-watching. The beach is also known for its unique seashells and birds. There is also the Calicut Beach and the Dolphin Point in Kozhikode, which offers dolphin sightings in Kerala.