The Forest Department is gearing up to impose restrictions on tourists visiting the Kuruva islands, a unique biodiversity hotspot on the Western Ghats and an ecotourism destination coming under the South Wayanad forest division, in the district. The destination has remained closed since June first week following the onset of monsoon and will be reopened for tourists on December 16.
Earlier, the Kuruva Destination Management Committee (DMC) had decided to reopen the destination on November 1 but it was postponed after environmental organisations in the district urged the government to restrict anthropogenic activities on the islands, the lone freshwater island in the Western Ghats. The Kuruva islands spread over 146.3 hectares consist of 64 small and large islets which form a unique biodiversity hotspot with endemic fauna and flora. The islands were gradually formed by river-sediment deposits.
The islands lie in one of the most crucial wildlife corridors in the country and fall in the middle of a traditional migratory path of the Asian Elephants which migrate from the Southeast Wayanad-Mudumalai-Bandipur complex to the northeast towards the Brahmagiri-Nagarahole-Kottiyoor forest complex.
Over 2,000 visitors
The unique habitat of the islets in the Kabani river is under stress from the increasing number of tourists. More than 2,000 tourists visit the place every day and the number doubles during weekends, says N. Badusha, president, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti. Even the slightest disturbance to this area will result in an ecological disaster, he says. In view of the situation, Prakruthi Srivastava, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Eco development and Tribal Welfare), restricted the number of visitors to the islands at 400 a day.
The destination will be open for tourists from December 16 to May 31 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each tourist will be allowed to spend only 2 hours on the islands.
