Eravikulam ranked India’s best national park

KOCHI: In a major recognition for Kerala’s conservation efforts, the Eravikulam National Park in Munnar has been ranked the best among all national parks in India, as per the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) 2020–25 conducted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Eravikulam scored an impressive 92.97%, sharing the top rank with Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir. The MEE was conducted across 438 Protected Areas in the country over multiple phases by expert panels, following global criteria laid down by the IUCN and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). Evaluations were based on 32 parameters grouped under six key aspects of conservation management, a release said here.

Notably, Kerala emerged as the only state to receive a ‘Very Good’ rating, with a total score of 76.22%, outpacing states like Karnataka (74.24%), Punjab (71.74%), and Himachal Pradesh (71.36%), which were rated ‘Good.’