Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
More than 30% of the area of Madhya Pradesh is covered by forest. The state has 25 wildlife sanctuaries, 10 national parks and 6 tiger reserves. Every year, many tourists visit Madhya Pradesh to spend time with nature in its wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. These parks and ‘tiger reserves’ play an important role in protecting biodiversity and the environment surrounding the forests. Let us look at some important national parks in Madhya Pradesh.
Kanha National Park
It is the largest national park in Madhya Pradesh. Kanha National Park was established on the 1st of June 1955. Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, and barasingha are among the most important species living in the Kanha National Park. Rudyard Kipling got the inspiration to write his famous novel “The Jungle Book” from the forests of Kanha National Park and its surrounding areas! In 1973, the national park was also declared a national tiger reserve.
Bandhavgarh National Park
The Bandhavgarh forest was declared a national park in 1968. It is located in the Umaria district. The Bandhavgarh National Park got the status of a tiger reserve in the year 1993. This park consists of various species, including leopards, deer, and the famous white tiger. Increasing mining-related projects around the park are threatening the lives of tigers.
Pench National Park
Pench National Park got its name from the Pench River that flows through the beautiful green forest. This park is closed during the monsoon season. It consists of many tigers, which is why it was declared a national tiger reserve in the year 1992 by the Government of India. Many tribal people live near and inside the national park.
Panna National Park
It is a tiger reserve as well as a national park located in the Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. It was established in 1981. It is located in the northeastern region of Madhya Pradesh. This park comprises several wildlife species such as lion, tiger, hyaena, wolf, Nilgai, deer, chinkara, etc. The climate in this region is dry and hot, and it receives around 1100 mm annually. The Ken River flows through the national park.
Satpura National Park
Satpura National Park is also a tiger reserve located in the Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh. It was established in 1981. This park consists of mountains, forests, small canyons and ravines. It is situated 210 kilometres away from Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. It is home to many wildlife species such as deer, leopard, wild boar, chinkara, flying squirrel, as well as birds like hornbill, peacock, etc. Pandav Caves is an attraction point in the Satpura National Park. There are nearly 50 rock shelters with rock paintings nearly 15 thousand years old.
Madhav National Park
It is located in the northwestern region of the state. It was earlier known as Shivpuri National Park and was renamed Madhav National Park in 1959. Sankhya Sagar is the largest water reservoir in the Madhav National Park. Previously, this forest was the hunting reserve for the Scindia maharajas, and this park is named after Madhav Rao Scindia.
Sanjay Dubri National Park
It was established in 1975, and it is located in the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh, on the boundary of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. There are around 152 species of birds and 32 species of mammals in this national park. Some important wildlife species include chinkara, deer, Indian python, sloth bear, porcupine, and jungle cat. This national park is also a tiger reserve.
Kuno National Park
It is located in the northern region of the state. It has a variety of flora and fauna. Indian wolf, Bengal fox, sloth bear, wild boar, and chinkara are some wildlife species found in this park.
Ghughua National Park
This fossil site was founded in 1970 and was declared a national park in 1983. It is located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh. Many plants, seeds, and fruit fossils have been discovered in this park, which are around 65 million years old. Eucalyptus and palm are the most important fossils found in this park.
Van Vihar National Park
It is located in Bhopal, and it was declared a national park in 1979. Some of the attractions of this park are white-rumped vultures, lions, Bengal tigers, snakes, wild cats, nilgai, deer, sambar, and chital.
Conclusion
Madhya Pradesh has a rich forest cover and wildlife and tribal culture, which makes it a tourist attraction. The flora, fauna and natural ecosystems are protected by the Government of India. Many forests and wildlife habitats are declared national parks and sanctuaries. Due to rising human activities, mining activities, infrastructure projects, construction projects and other factors, the ecosystem, biodiversity and especially the tiger population are in danger.
