MNS nature walk - Guindy National Park

This month's nature walk organized by the Madras Naturalists Society was at the Guindy National Park. The Guindy children's zoo and snake park are open to the public, but the national park is a protected area that requires special permission and the presence of a forest ranger at all times. The small park - it is only 2.82 km² (1 sq mi) - is an extention of the Governor's residence and that unfortunately kept us off one of the trails as the Governor was supposedly walking down it at the same time. Oh well, the rest of the park was beautiful though and we wandered around looking at the trees, plants and varied fauna of the tropical dry evergreen forest, accompanied by the very knowledgeable guides from the forest department.

Our first peep into the fauna of the area was provided by the Spotted deer (Chital/ Axis deer) which roamed around freely even in the parking lot outside the protected area. Though the parking lot was very well maintained, the little area behind the canteen next to the parking lot was full of plastic. The deer did not seem to mind though.

This one inside the protected area had found a much cleaner spot to spend its sunday morning.

More on the GNP walk in the days to come...