Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady, has a rich bio diversity and is spread over an area of 777 Sq .km., Periyar is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India. The park is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and Pamba. The Eco-Tourism projects in Periyar has been a great success story. These programs are conducted by local people responsible for the surveillance of the vulnerable parts of the reserve. By taking tourists along, they are involved in the conservation of the forests of Periyar and some valuable revenue is generated for community welfare. People who once made a living by illegal operations in the forests have since become forest protectors and earn their livelihood through these programs. Hence, as a visitor, when you join them in any of these programs, you are directly contributing towards forest conservation and community welfare.