Kannur district lies between latitudes 11° 40' to 12° 48'
North and longitudes 74° 52' to 76° 07' East. The district
is bound by the Western Ghats in the East (Coorg district of Karnataka
State), Kozhikkode and Wayanad districts, in the South, Lakshadeep
sea in the West and Kasaragod, the northern most district of Kerala,
in the North.The district can be divided into three geographical regions
- highlands, midlands and lowlands.The highland region comprises mainly
of mountains. This is the area of major plantations like coffee, rubber,
tea, cardamom and other spices. Timber trees like teak, veetty, etc
are grown in plenty in this region.The midland region, lying between
the mountains and the low lands, is made up ofundulating hills and
valleys. This is an area of intense agricultural activity.The lowland
is comparatively narrow and comprises of rivers, deltas and seashore.
This is a region of coconut and paddy cultivation.
The district has a humid climate with an oppressive hot season from
March to the end of May. This is followed by the South-West monsoon
which, continues till the end of September. October and November formflthe
post-monsoon or retreating monsoon season. The North East monsoon
which follows, extends upto the end of February, although the rain
generally ceases after December.During the months of April and May,
the mean daily maximum temperature is about 35° celsius. Temperature
is low in December and January -about 200 celsius. On certain days
the night temperature may go down to 16° celsius.The annual average
rainfall is 3438 mm and more than 80 percent of it occurs during the
period of South -West monsoon. The rainfall during July is very heavy
and the district receives 68 per cent of the annual rainfall during
this season.
Kannur district is very rich in vegetation. Natural vegetation, I
except in some coasta1.regions, consists of different types offorests.
But, I' in spite of generally favourable climatic conditions, vegetation
is not , j uniform. In restricted regions, with their own micro climate
or special , ( I' edaphic features, plant formations assume different
characters. Thus, I plant communities, ranging from psammophytes and
mangroves to r evergreen forests are seen in this district The coastal
region is a comparatively narrow zone, characterised by secondary
soil which is rather loose and sandy. The serile sandy tract supports
only a poor vegetation of the psammophyte type. Plants are few and
mostly prostrate. Erect species are small and short. Owing to very
poor water holding capacity of the soil, these plants are provided
with special xerophytic adaptations. Another conspicuous feature of
this area is the mangrove vegetation, found at the estuaries of rivers
and backwaters, and often extending to the interior along their banks.
Human interference has much changed the vegetation of the coastal
region. Major part of the district comes under midland region with
numerous hills and dales and it presents an undulating surface gradually
ascending and merging into the slopes of Western Ghats. Soil is secondary
and lateritic with underlying rock of laterite or disintegrated greiss.
T.epical flora of this area is a most deciduous forest consisting
of a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees. Undergrowth consists
of a variety of annuals and perennials. The mountains are a continuation
of the midland region, gradually ascending to the main ridge of the
Western Ghats. Soil in the western slopes is a ferrugenous red, sandy
loam. Vegetation over the whole area is of the forest type. Irregular
distribution of teak, localised areas of bamboo dominanace, change
of good quality forest into open grass lands, etc are characteristic.
The geological formations in the district are of Archean and recent
age. Archean formations comprise of greisses and charrockiates. !
Recent formations are alluvium and laterite. Archeans occupy the midland
and highland regions of the district having rock types of basic charrockiates
and hornblende-biotite greiss. The remaining portions in the coastal
area are covered by laterite, alluvium, lime-sheUs, lignified woods,
etc. Archean formations like foliated horn-blende-biotite greiss (gray
or white in colour) is one of the main rock types in the northern
portion of the district. Recent formations like laterite is developed
on a limited scale along the coastal areas.
The Naturemagics website is updated frequently. We invite
your comments and suggestions to make this site better. We also invite
you all to check out the blogs that we maintain.
