Amid worry over the threat of unplanned development and illegal encroachment hanging over Aarey forest, there are always a few happy surprises in store for researchers, thanks to the rich biodiversity of the area. Mumbai-based researcher Rajesh Sanap has rediscovered the female of a spider species in the area and got a scientific paper, written in collaboration with researcher John T D Caleb, mentioning it published in a leading international journal — Arthropoda Selecta from Russia — on June 26. The female of chrysilla volupe species was discovered in Aarey Colony 139 years after the male was found and described.

The female perspective
Speaking to mid-day, Sanap said, "Aarey Milk Colony keeps surprising us... the latest is the rediscovery of the colourful female jumping spider. Aarey acts as a buffer zone to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and has a biodiversity similar to that of SGNP; so, the need of the hour is to protect the forest from unplanned development and encroachment eating into the green cover."