News: The first honey harvest at Maharashtra’s Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary marks a significant milestone. It aimed at empowering the local tribal community by promoting sustainable beekeeping practices. Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary.
About Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Murud and Roha talukas of Raigad district, Maharastra.
It was established to protect a portion of the coastal woodland ecosystem of the Western Ghats, encompassing 17,250 acres of forest, grasslands, and wetlands.
Previously, this area was part of the hunting reserves of the princely state of Murud-Janjira.
Pockets of open grassland, known as “mals” are scattered in the sanctuary.
Vegetation: The hilltop forests of Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary are predominantly evergreen, featuring species such as Anjan (Memecylon umbellatum) and Phansada (Garcinia talbotii).
Flora: The slopes are covered with dry deciduous forests, comprising Ain, Kinjal, Teak, Hirda, Jamba, Mango, and various species of Ficus.
The sanctuary is home to a rich diversity of plant life, with a total of 710 species, including 179 tree species, 66 shrubs, and 141 herbs.
Fauna: Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a rich variety of wildlife.
The leopard is the major carnivore found in the sanctuary. Other animals include hyena, jungle cat, palm civet, sambar, barking deer, bonnet macaque, wild boar, and the Malabar giant squirrel.
The sanctuary also hosts 148 species of birds, including the Pied Hornbill, Three-toed Kingfisher, Malkoha, and Pitta. There are 90 species of butterflies, such as the Common Map, Black Prince, Nawab, and Blue Mormon.
Additionally, several species of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes are found here.
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