About Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Location: It is located in the northern part of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra (spread over the three districts Pune, Thane and Raigad).
- It is named after Lord 'Bhimashankar' (one of the twelve Jyotirlingas).
- It was declared as Wildlife Sanctuary in 1985.
- Rivers: Two major tributaries of river Krishna namely Bhima and Ghod originate from this area.
- Vegeattion: Major forest types are western subtropical broad leaved hill forest to moist deciduous types with a few included small patches of evergreen forests.
- Flora:
- Sacred Groves (Deorais): The sanctuary has unique sacred groves protected by socio-religious rules.
- It also consists of Bilschmiedia dalzellii, Mangifera indica, Olea dioica, Syzygium cumini, Carallia brachiata, Myristica malabarica, Diospyros malabarica, D. montana, D. sylvatica and Symplocos racemosa.
- Fauna:
- The main wild speies are Giant Indian squirrel (Ratufa indica elphinstoni), Panther (Panthera paradus), Sambar (Cervus unicolor), Mouse Deer Tragulus memina, Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), Wild boar (Sus scrofa).
