10 Rare & Exotic Animals in Silent Valley National Park
Explore ten rare and exotic animals unique to Silent Valley National Park, Kerala—from amphibians like shrub frogs to elusive mammals like pangolins and king cobras.
1. Lion-tailed Macaque This monkey has a silver white mane, tufted tail and black coat that is endangered. It can only be found in the upper canopy of Western Ghats evergreen forests, and it is rarely observed unless in old-growth trees quietly feeding. (Image: Canva)
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2. Nilgiri Langur Sleek black fur, head of golden brown, long tail, arboreal. Troop motions in the mid-elevation forests, browsing and consuming leaves, fruits, and rarely going into deep undergrowth. (Image: Canva)
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3. Malabar Giant Squirrel Large, yellowish brown (reddish brown) tree squirrel with cream spots. The agile forest giant-leaper can be seen in the upper canopy during daylight hours, and its silhouette is usually seen in the sky. (Image: Canva)
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4. Nilgiri Tahr Mountain-goat-antelope, with short brown-grey hair and curved horns. Likes boulder cliffs and plains on the fringes of the park. Very timid, and can be seen at dawn or nightfall when grazing. (Image: Canva)
5. Indian Pangolin Nocturnal scaly mammal that curls up in a ball when in danger. Preys predominantly on ants and termites by the application of a long sticky tongue. It is one of the hardest to see mammals here. (Image: Canva)
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6. Blaira rubigina (Red Torrent Toad) Large amphibian with a bright orange throat, red on the back. Inhabits faster running streams at elevation. Minuscule, cryptic, and may be concealed in rocks and litter around watercourses. (Image: Canva)
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7. Frog: Raorchestes lechiya (Shrub Frog of Lechiyappan) A small frog that is only found at altitudes of more than 1800m in Silent Valley. Living on leaf litter, pale brown on the back. Known at many localities; extremely endemic and not very common. (Image: Canva)
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8. Longnosed Gecko ( Gecko longispinus ) Brown, marble, and smooth-scaled under-scale small, arboreal lizard. Native to Western Ghats; can be found on tree trunks and rock faces of wet patches of forests, particularly in the shaded, moist places. (Image: Canva)
9. King Cobra One of the longest poisonous snakes in the world. Powerful hood, neck bands, striped. Likes thick forest floor in the water; exceedingly uncommon. Predators with a very important role in the ecosystem. (Image: Canva)
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10. Malabar Civetsmalll carnivore that is severely endangered and has a smooth spotted coat. Otherwise prefers crowding vegetation and underbrush. Cryptic and nighttime, very little knowledge of occurrence; probably one of the least known mammals in Silent Valley. (Image: Canva)
