Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary

About Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, 75 km away from Mumbai.
• It forms a corridor between Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary. 
• Landscape: It is characterized by hilly terrain, dense forests, and small rivers or streams.
• Vegetation: There are three different types of forests – Dry Deciduous, Moist Deciduous and Semi Evergreen.
• Flora: It is home to several species of trees, including teak, bamboo, and mango.
• Fauna:
  • Some commonly spotted animals in the sanctuary include Leopard, Wild Boar, Barking Deer, Langur, Bonnet and Rhesus Macaque, and Black-naped Hare.
  • A multitude of birds, including the Crested Serpent-eagle, Jungle Owlet, White-eyed Buzzard, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Emerald Dove and Heart-spotted Woodpecker, can be found here.
• Several ancient temples are within its boundaries. The most famous of these temples is the Tungareshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Q1) What is a Dry Deciduous forest?

These forests are primarily found in regions with pronounced dry seasons, where there is a clear distinction between wet and dry periods. Dry deciduous forests are adapted to withstand prolonged periods of drought and shed their leaves during the dry season as a survival strategy.

Source: Mumbai News: MMRDA Achieves Breakthrough In Tungareshwar Tunnel To Cross Wildlife Sanctuary