Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary

Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary spreads over about 320 sq km across the Shahapur and Bhiwandi talukas of Thane district and the Wada taluka in Palghar. Its hills and dense forest patches cover the catchment of the Tansa, Vaitarna and Modak Sagar lakes, which supply water to Mumbai, Thane and Bhiwandi, and around 60 villages lie inside it. The forest is southern moist deciduous, with teak, khair, haldu and other trees.

Some 54 mammal species, among them leopard, sloth bear, porcupine and barking deer, and over 250 bird species, including owls and the endangered forest owlet, have been recorded. Tansa Dam is the main attraction for visitors, and other sights include Mahuli Fort, the Mahadeo Temple at Tilsa and the Suryamal plateau. The sanctuary is open from sunrise to sunset; the nearest railhead is Shahapur, 15 km away, with buses every half hour from Shahapur and Bhiwandi.