Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife refuge in the Murud and Roha talukas of Raigad district, Maharashtra state, India.[1] It was created in 1986 to preserve some of the coastal woodland ecosystem of the Western Ghats and consists of 6979 hectares of forest, grasslands and wetlands. The area was once part of the hunting reserves of the princely state of Murud-Janjira.[2]
Geography
The Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is located some 140 km from Mumbai at 18°20′39″N 73°03′33″E / 18.3441°N 73.05908°E. There are four main trails through the sanctuary that take in the main waterholes, Gunyacha Maal, Chikhalgaan and Phansadgaan, that are some of the best places to see wildlife. The "Sacred Groves" are located near Supegaon. Pockets of open grassland, called mals, occur throughout the sanctuary.The sanctuary is best approachable by road from Murud-Janjira and Roha. The nearest rail head is Roha.
Ecosystems
- coastal woodland ecosystem of the Western Ghats
Faunal diversity
Representative fauna include:
- Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica)[1]
- muntjac (barking deer)
- hyena ((Hyaena hyaena)
- leopard or panther (Panthera pardus)
- wild boar (Sus scrofa)
- Bombay earth snake (Uropeltis macrolepis) and
- Ceylon cat snake (Boiga ceylonensis)
- Sambar (Cervus unicolour)
- Mouse deer (Tragulus meminna)
- Python
Avifauna includes:
Floral Diversity
Representative flora includes: ain, kinjal, teak, hirda, jamba, mango, and various ficus.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c "Phansad Jungle". Rohan Gurao, Website for Roha.
- ^ Puthran, Aayush. "Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary". India Travel.
