Tansa wildlife sanctuary is located in the Shahapur and wada Talukas in Thane district of Maharashtra. It is at a distance of only 90kms from the city of Mumbai. It can be accessed by road from Shahapur Town located on Mumbai-Agra National Highway No.3. The nearest railhead is Atgaon on the Central Railway 13 Kms away from the sanctuary. The sanctuary covers an area of around 320 sq. km, houses ma
ny rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The wildlife sanctuary at Tansa in Thana district comprises the catchment area of Tansa Lake and the surrounding forests of Shahapur, Khardi, Vaitarna and East Wada Ranges in Shahapur tahsil of Thana district. The Tansa Lake, an artificial lake inside the sanctuary acts as a good source of water for all the wildlife that exists in the sanctuary as well as the city of Mumbai. Formed across the River Tansa, Tansa Lake is one of the largest lakes in the state of Maharashtra which has a capacity to store 3 million gallons of water. The quiet but immense water spread of the lake, is an eye-catching spectacle. Close to the sanctuary, many many places of interest for the tourists which includes the famous Mahuli fort, Bhatsa Dam, Modaksagar Dam. All of these places possess importance that hold roots in the ancient times and each one of them has a story about itself to tell. The forest type of the park is mostly southern tropical moist deciduous forests. The density of forest ranges between 0.5 to 0.8. The dominant tree species are Tectona grandis (Teak), Acacia catechu (Khair), Terminalia tomentosa (Ain), Adina cordifolia (Hed), Mitragyna parviflora (Kalamb), Pterocarpes marsupium (Bibla) etc. Bamboo is also found in patches. The forest in the sanctuary provide ideal conditions of harbourage to a variety of birds and animals. The sanctuary has a wide variety of fauna with over 54 species of animals and 200 species of birds. Major wild animals are Panther, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Hyena, Wild boar etc. Avifauna consists of Cacket tailed drongoes, Crested serpent eagles, Woodpeckers, Hornbill, Shrikes, Orioles, Bayas, Bulbuls, Egrets, Lapwings, Paradise flycatcher, etc.
