Senior actress Raveena Tandon has become an ambassador of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SNGP) at Borivli in north Mumbai. On Tuesday, the actress sent a letter to State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, accepting her appointment as the ambassador of the SNGP. The minister had on August 1 requested the actress to work as an SNGP ambassador.
Spread over 103 sq.km, the SNGP is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna and harbours approximately 800 species of flowering plants, 274 species of birds, 35 species of mammals, 78 species of reptiles, snakes and amphibians and 170 species of butterflies The SNGP is also home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna and harbours approximately 800 species of flowering plants.
Notable among the animals at the SNGP are large mammalian species such as leopard, wild boar, four-horned antelope, black-naped hare, wild cat, jackal and porcupine and many bird species such as lesser grebe, Purple Heron, Smaller Egret, lesser Whistling Teal, Pariah Kite. Many reptiles, including snakes as Indian Cobra and Viper are also found at the SNGP. The SGNP has always been the weekend picnic spot for Mumbaikars for years on end. Apart from providing a boat ride for visitors in an artificial lake or a joy ride in a mini train, visitors do walk up to the Gandhi Tekdi and roam around the wooded area and also visit 2000-year-old Kanheri Caves located inside the national park.