Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary in Thane district, Maharashtra, is only some 85km or so from Mumbai. It forms the catchment area around lake Tansa, which supplies much of Mumbai’s water. The sanctuary is almost three times the size of Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali, Mumbai, but much lesser known, and seems to have much less wildlife. “There are atleast 54 species of animals and 200 species of birds do exist in the sanctuary. Major wild animals are Panther, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Hyena, Wild boar etc.”
I didn’t go inside the sanctuary, but in the peripheral villages, spent a morning photographing wildflowers, butterflies, and the odd reptile. This was early October 2013, right after the rains.
There is practically no place here to eat. So carry your snacks and water. If you like, try and carry your tea/coffee as well.
Indian Garden Lizard (Callotes versicolor)
A beautiful wildflower. Post monsoons, Maharashtra blooms with thousands of varieties of flowers.Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) on a tree near the village bus stop.The Tansa Lake in its tranquil beauty, well fed by the monsoons.A Red Veined Darter dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii)A damselfly. Need help with the identity.A frog and a fish.Post the monsoons, millions of wildflowers bloom, attracting many butterflies and other bugs.Another butterfly on a wildflower, contributing to pollination and the cycle of life.A lizard. Still looking for its identity.Anotehr butterfly. This one has eye like motifs on its wings, perhaps signalling predators that its watching them.
Apart from the bees and butterflies, millions of tiny bugs like this one here, contribute to the gigantic task of pollination.One of the many beautiful wildflower species.A Cinereus Tit (Parus cinereus). Its a small bird that forages in small flocks, feeding on small bugs, buds and fruits.Bug (what looks like a blister beetle) on a wildflower.Another wildflower.Yet another.One more.Some kind of a lizard hidden in the greens.
Another blister beetle on a wildflower. One can see grains of pollen on the beetle.A purple/indigo/violet flower. I have always wondered why so many of the post monsoon flowers are of this colour?A lizard sneaks a view from behind the greens.A beetle tries to balance itself on a blade of grass.A swarm of millipedes.A honey bee on a wildflower.
How to reach Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary
[box type=”success” width=”100%” ]Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary can be reached via the road going next to Atgaon Railway Station on NH3, the Nashik Highway. We haven’t stayed anywhere there, so can’t really recommend any place yet.
Where to stay at Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary : There are now some private places to stay, but we haven’t stayed yet, so have no recommendations. If you want to walk in the forest you must seek permissions from the Forest Department : Deputy Conservator of Forests, (Wildlife), Thane Wildlife Division, L.B.S.Marg, Naupada, Thane (West), Maharashtra India 400 602. 91-22-25402522
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5 thoughts on “Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary”
I love your blog and your intrepid travels. Stunning photos. This one’s my favourite. Thank you for sharing.
I love your blog and your intrepid travels. Stunning photos. This one’s my favourite. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome clicks 🙂 Loved em.
Thanks Shashank! Have you been there…
Beautiful post! Thanks for sharing such vivid images…we should care more about wildlife in India. Shared this in my social networks.
Thanks Moon. It’s sad how few of our sanctuaries have much wildlife left in them.