A haven for bird watchers, a constant jaunt for morning joggers and yoga practitioners, an unlikely oasis for city photographers, and above all, the lungs of our parched city—the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivli wears many hats at once.
Ensconcing the city on three sides, the park covers an area of almost 104 sq. km. It is the only park in the world within city limits. Also claiming to be the most visited park in Asia, it houses within its confines the Kanheri Caves—a group of 109 caves carved from basalt, dating back to the 10th century.
The park has, for long, been a destination for wildlife enthusiasts in the city. Speaking about the butterfly population in the park, Uday Dhage, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, shares, "SGNP houses over 170 varieties of butterflies. The Blue Mormon—the largest butterfly of Mumbai and the Tiny Grass Blue—the smallest butterfly of the city can be spotted here. We are also proud that the world's largest moth—the Atlas Moth has made its home in our city. To gauge the trends of the migratory bird population, we conduct monthly surveys of birds within the reserve. In the survey that was conducted two weeks back, the Indian grey hornbill and the heart-spotted woodpecker have been spotted by our experts."
The park also offers options to rent out a tent, should visitors want to spend the night in the forest. Speaking about the same, Dhage adds, "We have fully air-conditioned and comfortable tents within the park that families can take on rent for Rs. 2,500 for 24 hours. Meals can be provided separately from our standardised cafeteria. To accommodate larger groups, we have constructed dormitories and rest houses too."
"I've been visiting the SGNP for years now. And I'm happy to see that the authorities have been maintaining a clean space for us to relax in," says filmmaker and Kandivali resident Vinayak Radhakrishnan.
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