Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Murud and Roha talukas of Raigad district in the state of Maharashtra. Previously, the sanctuary area used to be a hunting reserve of the erstwhile Siddhi Nawab of the Janjira state. It was constituted a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1986. Today, the sanctuary is reckoned as a famous birds’ paradise.

Flora
Vegetation cover: moist teak forest, semi-evergreen forest, mangrove vegetation and mixed deciduous forest.
Trees: Kinjal, Ain, Teak, Jamba, Hirda, Ficus, Mango and others.

Fauna
Indian giant squirrel, Bombay earth snake, hyena, Sambar, leopard, wild boar, muntjac, Ceylon cat snake, etc.

Avian Fauna
Malabar Pied Hornbill, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Black Drongo, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Iora, Shikra, white-bellied Sea Eagle and many more.

Getting there
By road the sanctuary can be approached via Mumbai–Panvel Highway. The closest bus terminal to Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is Alibaug about 50km away. Murud-Roha road passes through the sanctuary. The nearest railway station is at Roha on the Konkan railway line.
Mumbai’s Chatrapati Shivaji International airport (nearly 75km away) is the nearest airport. From airport one can hire a bus or a cab to reach Phansad sanctuary.

Tourist Information
Staying facilities within the sanctuary is very scanty. Some tented accommodations are available near the entrance of the sanctuary. Better and comfortable staying options are available in the vicinity of the sanctuary at Kashid, Korlai and Murud.
The best way to view the birds is from the watch towers situated inside the forest areas. Always carry a powerful binocular and keep silent while bird watching.

Additional Information
Location: Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, Tembhode, Maharashtra
Area: 69.79 sq km
Best time to visit: November to March
Timings: 8am to 2pm and 4-6pm
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