Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary

Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is the principal protected wildlife area of Kollam district and an important part of Kerala’s southern Western Ghats. The sanctuary, notified in 1984 and covering about 171 square kilometres, forms part of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve. Its forests include evergreen and semi-evergreen habitats, distinctive Myristica swamp ecosystems and the Chenkurinji tree, Gluta travancorica, from which the sanctuary’s name is associated.

The reservoir created by the Thenmala dam adds a broad water landscape to the forest setting and supports a variety of bird and animal life. Tourism here is conservation-led: authorised trekking, camping, birdwatching and other forest programmes are organised under controlled conditions rather than as unrestricted sightseeing. Shendurney is especially rewarding for visitors interested in biodiversity, forest ecology and quiet nature experiences.

Because access, routes and programmes can depend on weather and forest regulations, travellers should use official eco-tourism arrangements. Thenmala Ecotourism Centre and Palaruvi Waterfalls are useful nearby additions to a Kollam nature itinerary.