Guindy National Park, located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is making headlines, signaling the park’s significant role in providing ecosystem services. Ecosystem services represent the direct and indirect contributions that ecosystems make towards human well-being.
About Guindy National Park
Designated as India’s eighth smallest national park, Guindy National Park holds a unique position among other parks due to its location within a city, more specifically, in the heart of Chennai’s metropolitan area. It presents as one of the final remnants of the tropical dry evergreen forests found along the Coromandel Coast.
A notable aspect of this national park is the Children’s Park, an area of about 22 acres carved out for ex-situ conservation purposes. Additionally, Guindy Snake Park, bestowed with statutory recognition as a medium zoo by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in 1995, is situated adjacent to Guindy National Park.
The park, commonly referred to as Guindy Deer Park, received its status as a national park in 1978.
Flora and Fauna of Guindy National Park
The national park exhibits rich biodiversity and hosts over 30 species of trees, including various gigantic Banyan Trees that are centuries old. The habitats support a considerable population of black bucks and spotted deer, along with jackals, a variety of snakes, more than 100 species of birds and over 60 types of butterflies.
Other National Parks in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is home to other national parks, such as the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, which includes 21 Islands and the town of Dhanushkodi, and Indira Gandhi National Park, previously known as Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Tiruppur. You’ll also find Mukurthi National Park in Ooty and Mudumalai National Park in Madumalai.
Ex-situ and In-situ Conservation Methods
The concept of ex-situ conservation involves preserving and maintaining samples of living organisms outside their natural living spaces. Measures like Gene Banks and Seed Banks fall under this form of conservation.
Conversely, in-situ conservation champions the preservation of species in their natural habitats. This approach includes maintaining wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, like Guindy National Park.
In conclusion, the Guindy National Park in Chennai serves as an oasis of greenery amidst the bustling city, contributing to the local ecosystem services. Its rich diversity of flora and fauna makes it an essential resource for both conservation and educational purposes.
Source: DTE.