Why in the News?

Guindy National Park, packed with blackbucks and birds, is one of the few national parks located in an Indian metropolis.

About the Guindy National Park:

• Guindy National Park is a protected area, located in the heart of Chennai’s metropolitan area of Tamil Nadu.
• It's the 8th smallest national park in India, covering an area of 2.70 square kilometers (1.04 square miles).
• This national park is unique because it is situated within the city of Chennai and is an extension of the grounds around Raj Bhavan, which was formerly known as the 'Guindy Lodge' and serves as the official residence of the governor of Tamil Nadu.
• Guindy National Park plays a crucial role in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation efforts.
• It provides a habitat for various wildlife species, including 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deer, 24 jackals, numerous snakes, geckos, tortoises, and over 130 bird species.
• Flora: Guindy National Park features a diverse range of vegetation, including dry evergreen scrub and thorn forests, grasslands, and water bodies.
• Fauna: The park is home to 14 mammal species, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, and a wide variety of invertebrates such as grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, and millipedes.