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 Taluke 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 are dry deciduous forests, thorny scrubs, riparian forest, shola forests and grasslands. The Sanctuary is also the abode of 11 tribal settlements of which 4 are ofHill-pulayas and 7 are of Muthuvas. Muthuva settlements are Thayannan-kudi, Iruttala-kudi, Vellakkal-kudi, Pathu-kudi, Olla-vayal, Oli-kudi and Mangappara, where a total of 642 Muthuvas reside at present. Traditionally, Muthuvas were hunter-gathers, fully dependent on the forest resources of the area. Over-exploitation of several species by them coupled with degradation of the forest of the area due to various factors, theplant diversity of the sanctuary had drastically