New Amarambalam reserved forests and nearby areas like Vadakkekotta vested forest were proposed as a new wildlife sanctuary called Karimpuzha National Park by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, India, in 2006. Manjeri colony of the Cholanaikar tribal community was exempted from the sanctuary. It came into existence on July 03, 2020.

Mukkuruthi National Park is another national park bordering Karimpuzha National Park. Karimpuzha National Park is contiguous to  Silent Valley National Park to the south and extends up to Nadugani Pass.

This new wildlife sanctuary is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (the first International Biosphere reserve in India). It is part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lion-tailed macaque

Karimpuzha National Park is also called the New Amarambalam Wildlife Sanctuary. It has an area of around 227.97 square kilometers.  The Wildlife sanctuary is at an altitude of 40 meters (131 feet) to 2,554 meters (8,379 feet).  It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the state of Kerala.

It is the 18th Wildlife sanctuary in the state of Kerala. Ecotourism projects are being planned to help the local tribal community get employed in the projects.

New Amarambalam Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in flora and fauna. Mammal species numbering around 25 (almost all Mammal species of Western Ghats), including endemic & threatened Lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri Tahr, are found here.

Bird species numbering around 212 are in this wildlife park and surrounding areas. A restricted range of bird species numbering around 16 is seen here. One critically endangered and two vulnerable bird species are also found in the wildlife sanctuary.  At least, three among 52 near-threatened bird species of India are found here.

How Do I Go to Proposed New Amarambalam Wildlife Sanctuary or Karimpuzha National Park?

Karimpuzha National Park is spread over the Malappuram and Palakkad districts of Kerala and the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu. The entry point to the park is from the Karulai Panchayat, in Nilambur Taluk of Malappuram district.

The Karimpuzha National Park or New Amarambalam Wildlife Sanctuary route map is given above.