Guindy National Park

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  ?Guindy National Park
Tamil Nadu • India
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Blackbuck, Guindy's flagship species
Blackbuck, Guindy's flagship species
Coordinates: 13°00′09″N 80°13′51″E / 13.00259, 80.23079
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Elevation		 2.70 km² (1 sq mi)
• 6 m (20 ft)
Climate
• Precipitation
Temperature
• Summer
• Winter
• 1,200 mm (47.2 in)

• 38 °C (100 °F)
• 20 °C (68 °F)
Nearest city Chennai (Madras)
District(s)   Chennai
Established 1977
Visitation/year 700,000/2006[1]
Governing body Ministry of Environment and Forests and Tamil Nadu Department of forests
Website: http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/np_gnp.html

Coordinates: 13°00′09″N 80°13′51″E / 13.00259, 80.23079

Guindy National Park, A 2.82 km² (1 sq mi) Protected area of Tamil Nadu, located in Chennai, South India, is the 8th smallest National Park of India and one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor of Tamilnadu, India. It extends deep inside the govornor's estate, enclosing beautiful forests, scrub lands, lakes and streams. Guindy Park was originally a game reserve, then owned by a British citizen named Gilbert Rodericks and transferred to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department in 1958.

Contents

[edit] Flora and fauna

The Guindy National Park, Raj Bhavan and Indian Institute of Technology Madras habitat complex has historically enjoyed a certain degree of protection and has continued to support some of the last remnants of the natural habitats that typify the natural range of plant and animal biodiversity of north-eastern Tamil Nadu.[2]

The park has a dry evergreen scrub and thorn forest with over 350 species of plants including shrubs, climbers, herbs and grasses and over 24 varieties of trees, including the Sugar-apple, Atlantia monophylla, Wood-apple, Neem.

There are over 14 types of mammals including Antelope, 400 Black buck, Chital, 24 Jackal, Pangolin, 2000 Spotted deer, Jungle cat, Large Indian Civet, River otter, Hyena and Fox.

The park has dense forest, grasslands and water-bodies which provide an ideal habitat for over 100 species of birds including partridges, pheasants, parrots, quail, paradise fly-catcher, Black-winged kite, Honey Buzzard, Pariah kite and Eagle. Bird watchers anticipate migratory birds here like teals, garganeys, pochards, Medium egrets, large egrets, night herons, pond herons and open-billed storks every fall season.[3]

There are also many kinds of amphibians and snakes. Some species of tortoise and turtles- especially the endangered Star Turtle, lizards, geckos, chameleons and the common Indian monitor lizard are found here, as well as a large variety of insects including 60 species of spiders and 60 species of butterflies.

[edit] Guindy Snake Park and Children's Park

Guindy Snake Park, formerly the location of Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, is next to the Guindy National Park. There one can see King Cobra, pythons, vipers and other reptiles. 22 acres of GNP has been carved out into a children's park and play area at the northeast corner of the park with a collection of animals and birds. Animals in the children’s park include black buck, sambar, spotted deer, porcupine, hyena, jackal, python, grey pelican, night heron, cormorant, cockatiel, mongoose, bonnet monkey and common langur. The Snake park and Children’s park have separate entrances and independent entry fees. Drinking water, vendors and catering is available.

[edit] Visitor information

There is a new interpretation center about the biodiversity of the park. Entry into this protected reserve is restricted, and visitors can go into the core area only when escorted by a forest ranger from the Forests Department. [4]

Guindy Park is behind the Gandhi Mandapam, Kamaraj Memorial and Rajaji Memorial on Sardar Patel road on the southern outskirts of Chennai. The rear southeast edge of the park adjoins the campus of Indian Institute of Technology. Guindy station (Suburban Track) is 1 km away. Chennai Egmore Railway station is 9 km away. Chennai Central Railway station is 12 km away. Chennai airport is 8 km away.

For more details contact the Wildlife Warden, K.S.S.V.P. Reddy, 50 IV Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai – 600 020.
or The Wildlife Warden, 259, Anna Salai, DMS Compound, IV Floor, Teynampet, Chennai 600 006 Phone : 24321471 or the Children's Park, Guindy. Enquiry Form[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gunidy National Park. Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
  2. ^ Care Earth (August 2006)Rapid Assessment of Biodiversity on the Campus of Indian Institute of Technology - Madras, The Director, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai - 600 036, retrieved 9/5/2007An Urban Wilderness Revisited, p. 2
  3. ^ Oppili P. (Nov 16, 2004) The Hindu, retrieved 5/14/2007 "Looking for exotic species at the Guindy National Park"
  4. ^ David Appasamy (April 21, 2006) "Guindy National Park: National Treasure, Metroblogging Chennai, retrieved 9/6/2007 Chennai's pride"
  5. ^ Tamil Nadu forest Department, Guindy National Park