Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP)

About Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP):

• SGNP, earlier known as Borivali National Park, is a large protected area near Borivali in the northern part of Mumbai.
• It is situated partly in Thane District and in Mumbai Suburban District of Maharashtra.
• It covers an expansive area of 103 square kilometres, making it one of the largest parks within the city limits.
• The park is known for its dense forests, vast birdlife, butterflies, and small population of tigers.
• The Kanheri Caves in the center of the park were an important Buddhist learning center and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between the 9th and the 1st centuries BCE. 
  • They were chiseled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping.
• Besides, the park also has two artificial lakes, namely Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake, the deer park, the lion safari, and the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Flora: Kadamba, Teak, Karanj, Shisham, and species of acacia, Ziziphus, euphorbias, etc are found in this National Park.
• Fauna:
  • The fauna of the park includes Mongoose, Four-horned antelope, Sambar, Atlas Moth, Wild boar, Languor, Monkey, Magar, and Panthers.
  • The park also boasts of 251 species of birds and a large variety of butterflies.

Q1: What is a National Park? 

A national park is a large area of land which is protected by the government because of its natural beauty, plants, or animals, and which the public can usually visit.

Source: DH