BORIVALI NATIONAL PARK

INTRODUCTION :
Blessed with a natural richness that makes her one of the leading tourist destinations in the world, the entirety of the country of India, is a wild life lover's paradise. Varied in her topography as well as in her geography, India has much to offer the tourists to her land. The geographical as well as topographical conditions of India offer a safe haven to a number of flora and fauna, many of which are almost on the verge of becoming extinct today. It is for the preservation of these rare species of flora and fauna, as well as for providing safe habitation facilities to the more commonly found flora and fauna, that a number of National parks have been established all around India. The National Parks in India also provide a safe haven to various migratory birds, who, arrive in the land to ward off severe climatic conditions of their native countries.
The first National Park in India was established in 1935, by Jim Corbett as the Hailey National Park, which aimed at the preservation of tigers and other animals and birds. Today, the efforts of the government have translated themselves into the formation of almost 80 National Parks in India, in addition to 441 sanctuaries and 23 tiger reserves in India.

ABOUT SANJAY GANDI NATIONAL PARK

Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), previously Borivali National Park, is a large protected area in the northern part of suburban Mumbai city in Maharashtra State in India. It encompasses an area of 104 km2 (40 sq mi) and is surrounded on three sides by India's most populous city. It is notable as one of the major national parks existing within a metropolis limit and is one of the most visited parks in the world The rich flora and fauna of Sanjay Gandhi National Park attracts more than 2 million visitors every year. Tourists also enjoy visiting the 2400 years old Kanheri caves sculpted out of the rocky cliffs which lie within the park.

HISTORY
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park area has a long written history dating back to the 4th century BC. In ancient India, Sopoara and Kalyan were two ports in the vicinity that traded with ancient civilizations such as Greece and Mesopotamia. The 45 km (28 mi) land route between these two ports was partially through this forest.
The Kanheri Caves in the centre of the park were an important Buddhist learning centre and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between pradyut sakhseria 9th and the 1st centuries BCE.They were chiseled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping.

GEOGRAPHY
The park is nestled in the hill ranges to the east of the suburb of Borivali. It occupies most of the northern suburbs. To the west lie the townships of Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar. To the east lie the townships of Bhandup and Mulund. To the south lies the Aarey Milk Colony. The northern reaches of this forest lie in Thane city. The park and these areas surrounding it are all part of the Mumbai metropolitan area. The region is hilly with elevations between 30 m (98 ft) and 480 m (1,570 ft). The Park encompasses two lakes, Vihar Lake and Tulsi Lake, which meet part of the city's water requirements. The park is said to be the lungs of the city as it purifies much of the air pollution of the city.

Wildlife
Flora and fauna The park is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna. The forest area of the Park houses over 1000 plant species, 251 species of migratory, land and water birds, 50,000 species of insects, 40 species of mammals. In addition, the Park also provides shelter to 38 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians and also 150 species of butterflies and a large variety of fish.

Flora: Kadamba, teak, karanj, shisam, and species of acacia,

ziziphus, euphorbia, flame of the forest, red silk cotton and a number of other varieties of flowers. Karvi or Karvy, a flowering plant that flowers once in seven years, can be found in the Park.

FAUNA
The forest cover in the park helps provide the ideal habitat for many wild animals. Chital (or spotted deer), Rhesus Macaque and Bonnet Macaque are some of the wild mammals that can easily be spotted roaming inside the park. Other large mammals found in the park are: Black Naped or Indian Hare, Muntjac (Barking Deer), Porcupine, Asian Palm Civet, Chevrotain (Mouse Deer), Hanuman or Gray Langur, Indian Flying-fox, Sambar Deer and Leopard. One can also spot hyena or four-horned antelope. Reptiles living here include:crocodiles in the Tulsi Lake, pythons, cobras, monitor lizards, Russell's Vipers, Bamboo Pit Viper and Ceylonese Cat Snakes.

Butterflies Total 172 species of butterflies has been reported here, of which the spectacular ones are Blue Mormon, the phenomenal artist of camouflage the Blue Oak leaf, the bright jezebels and Large Yellow and White Orange tips, Tigers, Eggflies and Sailers.

CHITAL DEER

WILD TIGER
In 2003, pug marks and droppings of a Bengal tiger were found in the park. Although the tiger was never widely seen, it did bring some excitement to city folks as records of tiger being found here are quite old and forgotten now with the last tiger being shot down 80 years earlier in the region. Conservation was also proposed for the interlinking habitat corridors and nearby wilderness areas in the state and upgrade their status as Tiger habitat.

MASS FLOWERING OF KARVI

The Karvi shrub, as it is locally called in the Marathi language, sometimes also spelled as Karvy in English, only blooms once in eight years in a mass flowering covering the forest floor in a lavender blush. It grows in abundance in the Western ghats hills near Mumbai including throughout the Sanjay Gandhi National Park as in other parts of its natural range. In Sanjay Gandhi National Park its latest bloomings took place in 2008, and it is scheduled to bloom here again in 2016.

THREATS
The park has faced a number of problems similar to those faced by national parks elsewhere in the world, involving conflicts between natural and human interests. In the early 2000s a road, as proposed, would have cut through the park. Animal Activist Tarun Nayar went to court to halt this project. The lack of space in Mumbai has pushed residential colonies right up to the park boundary. This boundary is poorly fenced and has often allowed wild animals into human habitations. Slums have mushroomed around the park as well. Corruption among local politicians and Mumbai's influential builder lobby are commonly seen as responsible for a perceived shrinking of the park.

POACHING
Sanjay Gandhi national park has played home to many poachers in the recent years. Usually, leopards are being attacked. In many cases these animals had been poisoned, and claws or other valuable body parts were cut off and sold. Poaching could soon wipe out Mumbai's leopard population.

FIRE
During the summer and any time before the monsoon, fires burn in the park, at least one every two weeks. This has resulted in the loss of rare trees and loss of habitat for wild animals. The locals are often suspected of burning the trees on some of the outskirts of the forest to build their homes there.

 In the forest there is a famous Jain temple called Trimurti. This temple is widely visited by Digambar sect of Jain community. It has three huge idols of lord Adinathh and his two sons, lord Bahubali and lord Bharat. Many Muni maharaj (Jain Saints) do stay here to preach the followers before moving ahead to other city or town. The Kanheri Caves are a protected archaeological site at 191230N 725423E. The caves were sculpted by Buddhist residents starting in the 1st century BCE. The area was actually a settlement and once served as inns for travellers. The word Kanheri comes from the Sanskrit word Krishnagiri which means Black Mountain.

Jain temple

Lion Safari
Sleeping Lion at SGNP Lion Safari Main attractions of the park are a Lion Safari and a Tiger Safari for encouraging Eco-tourism. The Lion safari is a 20 minute ride through a 12 ha (29.65 acres) fenced forest area in one of the park's green buses.The Park is said to have a total of about 25 lions and lionesses. There are hardly 2 lions which visitors can safely see up close from inside the caged buses. The remaining 23 have been relocated or placed in fenced areas far away from the roads used by the green buses.

SUBMITTED BY :YASH SONI SYJC COMMERCE ROLL No :- 270