Ranni Forest Division
The Ranni Forest Division in Kerala, India, was constituted on 7 July 1958, comprising the Ranni, Vadasserikkara, and Goodrical ranges, with its headquarters at Ranni. It covers the parts of Konni reserve forest and the reserves of Ranni, Goodrical, Rajampara, Karimkulam, Kumaramperoor, Valiyakavu, and Schettakkal. With an area of, the Ranni Forest Division is one of the best ecosystems in Kerala state.
Types of forests and composition
Reserve forests covering and vested forests covering are the major types of forests in this division. The Ranni Forest Division, with its natural beauty and richness in flora and fauna, is a storehouse of many varieties of plants and animals. The forests in the Ranni range can be classified into the following categories.- West coast tropical evergreen forests
- West coast semi-evergreen forests
- Southern moist mixed deciduous forests
- Southern sub tropical wet hill forests
- Southern montane wet temperate forests
- Reed breakes
- Grass lands
- Manmade forests
Divisions of Ranni forest
Goodrical range
The Goodrical forest range is situated in the eastern side of Pathanamthitta district, with an area of. Comparatively, human interference is less in these forests than in others in India. But at times of the Sabarimala pilgrimage, these forests ranges are crowded with devotees. Evergreen and semi-evergreen types of forests are here. There are three forest stations under this range:- Plappally
- Kochukoikkal
- Pachakkanam
Vadasserikkara range
- Chittar
- Gurunathanmannu
- Thannithodu
Ranni range
- Karimkulam
- Kanamala
- Rajampara
Index of flora and fauna
Flora
Many unique plants and herbs can be seen in these forest ranges. Medical plants such as Shatavari, Solanum anguivi, Desmodium gangeticum, Cissus quadrangularis, Pseudarthria viscida, Strobilanthes ciliatus, and Dysoxylum malabaricum grow in the deeper parts of the forest. The eco-system of the forests here is suitable for the growth of these plants. A complete list of plants seen in Ranni division is given below.| Abutilon persicum | Angiopteris evecta |
| Canthium dicoccum | Caesalpinia bonduc |
| Acacia intsia | Crotalaria ferruginea |
| Carex baccans | Antidesma menasu |
| Acalypha malabarica | Caesalpinia mimosoides |
| Argyreia hirsuta | Crotalaria heyneana |
| Bauhinia phoenicea | Aphanamixis polystachya |
| Ageratum conyzoides | Calamus hookerianus |
| Begonia malabarica | Crotalaria pallida |
| Carissa carandas | Crotalaria walkeri |
| Achyranthes aspera | Calanthe masuca |
| Aristolochia tagala | Galinsoga parviflora |
| Acrotrema arnottiana | Croton caudatus |
| Argyreia elliptica | Crotalaria umbellata |
| Casearia esculenta | Garuga pinnata |
| Ardisia pauciflora | Croton malabaricus |
| Ardisia pauciflora | Diploclisia glaucescens |
| Careya arborea | Gleichenia linearis |
| Acalypha paniculata | Croton reticulatus |
| Asparagus racemosus | Diplocyclos palmatus |
| Cassia hirsuta | Glochidion ellipticum |
| Actephila excelsa | Cryptolepis buchananii |
| Asystasia Falwell | Dipterocarpus bourdillonii |
| Cassia mimosoides | Glycine javanica |
| Actinodaphne tadulingamii | Cucumis sativus |
| Atylosia lineata | Dracaena terniflora |
| Cayratia japonica | Glycosmis mauritiana |
| Adenia hondala | Cyanotis aristata |
| Baccaurea courtallensis | Drymaria cordata |
| Cayratia pedata | Gomphandra tetrandra |
| Adenostemma lavenia | Cyanotis pilosa |
| Barleria involucrata | Dumasia villosa |
| Centrosema pubescens | Gordonia obtusa |
| Aeginetia pedunculata | Cycas circilanis |
| Barringtonia acutangula | Ehretia canarensis |
| Ceropagia candelabrum | Gouania microcarpa |
| Aeschynanthus perrottetii | Cyclea peltata |
| Chassalia ophioxyloides | Elaeocarpus munroii |
| Chloranthus brachystachya | Grewia orbiculata |
| Agrostistachys borneensis | Cyperus diffusus |
| Belosynapsis vivipara | Elaeocarpus tuberculatus |
| Chrysopogon fulvus | Grewia umbellifera |
| Alstonia scholaris | Cyperus distans |
| Bentinckia condepanna | Eratostema lineolatum |
| Cissus quadrangularis | Gynura aurantiaca |
| Amaranthus viridis | Cyperus iria |
| Bidens biternata | Eleusine indica |
| Citrus medica | Gynura nitida |
| Amomum cannicarpum | Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum |
| Biophytum sensitivum | Embelia ribes |
| Clerodendrum viscosum | Habenaria crinifea |
| Anaphalis lawii | Debregeasia longifolia |
| Bischofia javanica | Emilia sonchifolia |
| Clidemia hirta | Hedyotis membranacea |
| Anaphalis subdecurrens | Dendrobium herbaceum |
| Blumea lanceolaria | Eragrostis unioloides |
| Coleus malabaricus | Helicteres isora |
| Anaphalis travancorica | Dendrobium ovatum |
| Blumea membranacea | Eranthemum capense |
| Combretum ovalifolium | Hibiscus furcatus |
| Anaphyllum wightii | Desmodium laxum |
| Blumea virens | Ervatamia divaricata |
| Commelina clavata | Holigarna nigra |
| Andrographis paniculata | Desmodium triflorum |
| Boehmeria glomerulifera | Erythrina stricta |
| Commelina obliqua | Hoya wightii |
| Andrographis wightiana | Desmodium triquetrum |
| Bolbitis sp. | Erythropalum populifolium |
| Commelina suffruticosa | Humboldtia vahliana |
| Aneilema montanum | Dianella ensifolia |
| Breynia retusa | Euonymus indicus |
| Connarus macrocarpus | Hydnocarpus laurifolia |
| Aneilema ovalifolium | Dichapetalum gelonioides |
| Breynia vitis-idaea | Eurya Japonica |
| Conyza bonariensis | Hydrocotyle javanica |
| Aneilema scaberrimum | Dicraea stylosa |
| Bridelia scandens | Dillenia pentagyna |
| Costus speciosus | Dillenia suffruticosa |
Fauna
Fishes and amphibians
The natural streams and rivers in these ranges are the repository of varied fish species and amphibians. Almost 51species of fishes and 43species of amphibians were reported from the various streams and water bodies in the forest divisions of Ranni. They are the following.| Fishes | Amphibians |
| Parambasis thomassi | Ichtyophis tricolor |
| Hypselobarbus curmuca | Uraeotyphlus narayani |
| Pseudoambassis ranga | Uraeotyphlus menoni |
| Hypselobarbus kurali | Uraeotyphlus oommeni |
| Nandus nandus | Gegeneophis ramaswamii |
| Labeo rohita | Sphaerotheca breviceps |
| Pristolepis marginata | Sphaerotheca rolandae |
| Garra mullya | Euphylyctis cf. mudigere |
| Etroplus maculatus | Euphlyctis cf. aloysii |
| Travancoria jonesi | Hoplobatrachus crassus |
| Etroplus suratensis | Hoplobatrachus tigerinus |
| Noemacheilus denisoni | Indirana semipalmata |
| Oreochromis mossambica | Indirana brachytarsus |
| Noemacheilus guentheri | Fejervarya keralensis |
| Glossogobius giuris giuris | Micrixalus mallani |
| Noemacheilus triangularis | Nyctibatrachus gavi |
| Awaous gutum | Clinotarsus curtipes |
| Lepidocephalus thermalis | Indosylvirana sreeni |
| Sicyopterus griseus | Indosylvirana aurantiaca |
| Lepidocephaluslimbatus | Indosylvirana cf. magna |
| Anabas testudineus | Hydrophylax malabaricus |
| Hyporhamphus limbatus | Raorchestes travancoricus |
| Macropodus cupanus | Raorchestes beddomei |
| Xenentodon cancila | Raorchestes ponmudi |
| Channa marulius | Raorchestes manohari |
| Aplocheilus lineatus | Pseudophilautus wynaadensis |
| Channa orientalis | Polypedates pseudocruciger |
| Heteropnuestes fossilis | Polypedates maculatus |
| Channa striatus | Rhacophorus malabaricus |
| Clarias dusuuumieri | Ghatixalus magnus |
| Mastacembelus armatus | Duttaphrynus beddomei |
| Danio malabaricus | Duttaphrynus scaber |
| Tetraodon travancoricus | Duttaphrynus melanostictus |
| Pristolepis malabarica | Duttaphrynus microtympanum |
| Megalops cyprinoides | Duttaphrynus parietalis |
| Parambassis thomassi | Uperodon taprobanicus |
| Anguilla bengalensis | Uperodon variegatus |
| Haplocheius lineatus | Uperodon montanus |
| Anguilla bicolar | Uperodon triangularis |
| Mystus montanus | Uperodon systoma |
| Tor khudree | Microhyla cf. laterite |
Reptiles and mammals
Kerala's forests are the storehouse of many species of reptiles and mammals. Reptiles of 59species and mammals of 34species were reported from the forests of Ranni. The rain forests here are the habitat of the venomous King cobra. Many King cobras were caught by Vava Suresh, the snake expert and wildlife conservationist for the Angamoozhy, Chittar, and Moozhiyar regions in the Goodrical range. The mammals are also rich in number, with countless species in these forests., a nonvenomous constrictor species of coulbrid snake
| Reptiles | Birds |
| Melanochelys trijuga | Little cormorant |
| Indotestudo travancorica | Darter |
| Lissemys punctata punctata | Grey heron |
| Rhinophis travancoricus | Pond heron |
| Uropeltis ceylanicus | Cattle egret |
| Python molurus | Little egret |
| Cnemaspis gracilis | Night heron |
| Cnemaspis ornatus | Chestnut bittern |
| Cnemaspis beddomei | Pariah kite |
| Lycodon tranancoricus | Brahminy kite |
| Cnemaspis kandiana | Indian shikra |
| Lycodon aulicus | Osprey |
| Cyrtodactylus collegalensis | Jungle bush quali |
| Oilgodon taeniolatus | Red spurfowl |
| Hemidactylus brooki | Grey jungle fowl |
| Oilogodon travancoricus | Redwattled lapwing |
| Hemidactylus frenatus | Blue rock pigeon |
| Amphiesma stolata | Indian spotted dove |
| Hemidactylus leschenaulti | Indian emerald dove |
| Amphiesma beddomei | Roseringed parakeet |
| Hemidactylus maculatus | Indian lorikeet |
| Amphiesma monticola | Common hawk cuckoo |
| Calotes calotes | Common Indian nightjar |
| Xenochrophis piscator | Indian koel |
| Calotes elliotti | Coucal/crow pheasant |
| Elaphe helena | Indian barn owl |
| Calotes rouxi | Grey headed bublbul |
| Ptyas mucosus | Ruby throated bublbul |
| Calotes versicolor | Indian alpine swift |
| Dendrelaphis ttristis | Indian house swift |
| Draco dussumieri | Malabar trogon |
| Ahaetulla nasuta | Pied kingfisher |
| Psammophilus blanfordanus | Chestnuttheaded bee-eater |
| Boiga trigonata | Rufoustailed flycatcher |
| Chamaeleo zeylanicus | Redbreasted flycatcher |
| Bungarus caeruleus | Malabar greyhornbill |
| Mabuya macularius | Small green barbet |
| Naja naja | Crimsonthroated barbet |
| Mabuya carinata | Indian pitta |
| Ophiophagus hannah | Malabar crested lark |
| Scincella laterimaculatum | Indian golden oriole |
| Vipera russellii | Blackheaded oriole |
| Riopa punctata | Black drongo |
| Echis carinatus | Jungle myna |
| Ristella beddomii | Hill myna |
| Hypnale hypnale | Indian tree pie |
| Ristella guentheri | Southeastern tree pie |
| Trimeresurus malabaricus | Paddyfield warbler |
| Ophisops leschenaulti | Jungle crow |
| Bungarus faciatus | Malabar woodshrike |
| Varanus bengalensis | Orange minivet |
| Ptyas mucosus | Goldfronted chloropsis |
| Ramphotyphlops braminus | Fairy bluebird |
| Typhlina bramina | Redwhiskered bulbul |
| Typhlops acutus | Whitethroated ground thrush |
| Geochelone travancorica | Redvented bulbul |
| Teretrurus sanguineus | Kerala rock pipit |
| Lissemys punctata punctata | Tailorbird |
| Blue headed yellow wagtail | Uropeltis ocellatus |
Birds
There are abundant species of birds in these forests, including some that face extinction. There are 196 known species of birds reported from the Ranni division.List of birds
Tribal settlements
The forest ranges of Ranni are inhabited by many tribal communities, mainly the Ulladan, Vettuvan and Malavedan, each having their own traditions and beliefs.| Settlements | Communities |
| Kakkudukka | Ulladan |
| Mannadisala | Ulladan |
| Chollanavayal | Malavedan |
| Kudamurutty | Malappandaram |
| Paruva | Ulladan |
| Ariyanjilimannu | Malavedan |
| Manakkayam | Malaoorali |
| Naranamthodu | Vanakudi |
| Lahai | Adiyan, Ulladan |
| Kurumbanmoozhy | Ulladan |
| Attathodu | Malapandaram |
| Velamplavu | Ulladan |
| Kattachira | Ulladan, vettuvan |
| Kodumudi | Ulladan, vettuvan |
| Kumaramkunnu | Malavedan, adiyan |
| Olikkallu | Vettuvan |
| Pambini | Ulladan |
| Allumkal | Vettuvan |
| Bhayanankaramudi | Kani, arayan |
| Chippankuzhy | Kani, ulladan |