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Guindy National Park: Chennai’s Urban Oasis [MAP]
Guindy National Park
Date Established: 1977
Guindy National Park was officially declared a national park in 1977. Prior to this, the area was a game reserve during the colonial era in the 1670s known as the Guindy Lodge. Over time, portions of the land were allocated for other purposes like building memorials or the Raj Bhavan. Finally in 1977 the remaining forest area of 270.57 hectares was handed to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and established as a national park for conservation purposes.
Area of Guindy National Park: 2.70 km2 (1.04 sq mi)
The Guindy National Park spans 2.70 square kilometers or 1.04 square miles in area. Despite its small size, it is an important protected habitat located within India’s bustling metropolitan city of Chennai.
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Uniquely, Guindy National Park is situated within the city limits of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu. Its location right in the heart of the urban city makes it one of the few national parks in India situated inside a major metropolis.
Location of Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park is located in Chennai city adjacent to a number of landmarks:
- Situated alongside the grounds of the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Tamil Nadu Governor
- Bordered by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras campus
- Neighboring the Guindy Race Course
- Surrounded by several educational institutes like Anna University, Central Leather Research Institute and the Cancer Institute
Despite being encircled by dense urban development, Guindy Park remains an oasis of greenery within the city filled with tropical dry evergreen vegetation, lakes, and streams that sustain its diverse wildlife.
Geography of Guindy National Park
Rivers
Guindy National Park is bounded by the Adyar River on its northern edge. The Adyar River originates in the Chembarambakkam Lake and flows through Chennai city before draining into the Bay of Bengal. It is an important water source for the park’s flora and fauna.
Mountains
Guindy National Park is not located near any major mountain ranges, as it is situated within the urban landscape of Chennai city. The park itself is relatively flat, with its highest point reaching only 40 meters above sea level.
Geographical Features
The park includes a mix of dry deciduous and tropical evergreen vegetation, serving as a green lung within the city. It contains grasslands, scrublands, wetlands, and forest patches. Two main water bodies, Appalankulam and Kathangollai, help sustain the park’s wildlife. The park spans 2.7057 km2 and is the eighth smallest national park in India.
Climate
Guindy National Park has a tropical and humid climate, typical of its coastal location. Temperatures average between 28 – 32 degrees Celsius throughout the year. The park receives around 1,000 mm of rainfall annually, mostly during the northeast monsoon season from October to December.
Fauna/Animals of the Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park is home to a remarkable diversity of wildlife species. Some key fauna found in the park include:
- Mammals: Blackbuck, jackals, spotted deer, jungle cat, toddy cat, civet cat, pangolin, hedgehog, shrew, black-naped hare, bonnet macaques, mongoose. The park has a significant population of blackbucks, with around 400 individuals. Spotted deer number around 2000.
- Birds: Over 130 species, including grey partridge, crow pheasant, parrot, quail, paradise flycatcher, black-winged kite, honey buzzard, pariah kite, golden-backed woodpecker, yellow-wattled lapwing, red-wattled lapwing, blue-faced malkoha, shrikes, Asian koel, minivets, munias, parakeet, tailor bird, robin, drongo, stone curlew. Many migratory birds also visit the park seasonally.
- Reptiles: Saw-scaled viper, fan-throated lizard, star tortoise, lizards, geckos, chameleons, common Indian monitor lizard.
- Amphibians: Frogs, toads
- Invertebrates: 60+ species of butterflies and spiders each. Also worms, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, ants, grasshoppers, crabs, snails, slugs. These species play a vital ecological role.
Flora of the Guindy National Park
- Forest Type: Tropical dry evergreen forest. This is a globally endangered ecosystem found only in small pockets like Guindy Park.
Over 350 plant species identified so far, including:
| Type | Example Species |
|---|---|
| Trees | Sugar apple, wood apple, neem, atlantia monophylla, banyan |
| Shrubs | Sickle bush |
| Climbers | Flame lily |
| Herbs | Hemidesmus indicus, gloriosa superba, dioscorea oppositifolia, tinospora cordifolia (medicinal herbs) |
The park includes tropical dry evergreen forest patches, tropical dry evergreen scrub/thorn forests, mixed dry deciduous scrub jungle, and grasslands. This mosaic of habitats supports the diverse wildlife.
Century-old banyan trees are a distinctive feature of the landscape. The vegetation is mostly dry during summer, but springs back to life after the monsoon rains.
History of Park
Originally a game reserve in the early 1670s, Guindy National Park was declared a national park in 1978. The park was part of the tropical dry evergreen forests of the Coromandel Coast, serving as the green lungs of Chennai.
In the 1670s, Governor William Langhorne carved out a garden space from the Guindy forest and built the Guindy Lodge as his residence. Over the next few centuries, portions of the land were used for various purposes like building memorials and the Cancer Institute. In 1977, the remaining forest area was transferred to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. In 1978, this area called the Guindy Deer Park was declared as a national park.
Conservation Efforts at Guindy National Park
Efforts include ex-situ and in-situ conservation, with about 22 acres carved out for the Children’s Park and the adjacent Guindy Snake Park.
in-situ conservation
The Children’s Park gained statutory recognition from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in 1995 for ex-situ conservation of animals like deer, snakes, birds etc. The Snake Park next door also gained CZA recognition in 1995 for its collection of venomous and non-venomous snakes and other reptiles. Together they promote conservation education and awareness.
In-situ conservation efforts within the park include habitat restoration, anti-poaching measures, and regular census of flora and fauna. Nature walks and educational programs are conducted to involve visitors in the park’s conservation. As the green lungs of Chennai, the park provides vital ecosystem services like air purification, carbon sequestration, soil conservation etc.
Conclusion
Guindy Park is one of Chennai’s precious few remaining natural green spaces. Along with its rich biodiversity spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and plants, it provides vital ecosystem services like carbon sequestration, climate regulation, and pollution mitigation to the surrounding metropolis. Its conservation is thus of utmost ecological and environmental importance.
