Abstract

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary lies within 10 degree. 15' and 10 degree. 22' North latitude and 77 degree. 8' and 77 degree. 18' East longitude, in Devikulam Taluk of Idukki district, Kerala State. The Sanctuary covers an area of 90. 44 square kilometer in the Western Ghats of India and was established in 1984. The major vegetation types of the area dry deciduous forests, throny scrubs, riparian forests, shola forest and grasslands. The Sanctuary is also the abode of 11 tribbal settlements of which 4 are of Hill-pulaya and 7 are of Muthuvas. Hill-pulaya settlements are Champakad, Alam-patti, Pala-patti and Ichampatti, where a total of 637 Hill-pulayas were hunter-gathers, fully dependent on the forest resources of the area. Over-exploitation of several species by them coupled with degradation of the forests of the area due to various factors, the plant diversity of the Sannctuary had drastically declined. In order to rehabilitate the biodiversity of the area by artificial