Kanha National Park Conservation Saga

At Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve the Vindhya and Satpura Ranges meet. This mountain country is extensive and was earlier known as High Lands of Central India. If you read the book on this by Captain Forsyth you will realize how verdant and prolific the forests covered mountains were. Now fractured by intruding humans and their ways a verdant patch called Maikal Hills offers sanctuary to Kanha National Park and Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary.

One of the most popular tiger reserves in India Kanha preserves what remains of large tract of forests as described by Captain Forsyth. Explored and discovered for the modern World by the ruling British it stays preserved. The forests comprise of two river valleys namely Halon and Banzar both tributaries of Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh or Central India.

Notified as sanctuaries the river valleys accorded protection to abundant wildlife and verdant jungles that thrived with vigor. In post independent India hunting continued unabated but it was not until a Maharajah shot thirty tigers in a short span did the uproar culminate into defending one of the few remaining ecosystems in the highland.

Kanha was declared as a National Park in year 1955, and a tiger reserve in the year 1973. The protection thus accorded has turned this ecosystem into a tiger conservation unit and one of the most successful in India. There are more than 100 big cats that live and breed here.

The biodiversity is stunning, rich and prolific with innumerable life forms that thrive here among them the mammals and birds are most visible. The flora comprises of Sal as a dominant species along with mixed varieties and grasslands. The core area is inundated by tributaries of Banzar and Halon along with numerous perennial streams, water holes and lakes. This creates a picturesque spectacle of low rising table top mountains, rivulets and large grasslands also called the meadows.

The indicator species is the tiger as a tertiary predator besides the leopard and wild dogs. The main herbivores are the deer species including the magnificent Barasingha or twelve tined swamp deer and bison. Other animals frequently seen are the sloth bear, magnificent sambar deer, barking deer and chital. These are the targeted species for the tourists. Birds are abundant and many birders arrive here every year on bird watching trips.

Tourism is organized in twenty percent of the core area. A paid safari permit is required for tourism. You can obtain permit online at MPOnline Website. The excursions are organized on open jeeps and canter. The tourism area is divided into four zones and you are allowed to explore one zone on a permit. Total area of the reserve is 940 sq.km of core and 1000 sq.km of buffer.

For tourism Kanha National Park is open from 1st October to June end. In the monsoon the park is closed due to slush formation. For accommodation the hotels are situated in the buffer area or outer ring. There are plenty of hotels in the buffer so accommodation is no problem.

You can reach the tiger reserve from Jabalpur about four hours drive. Jabalpur is connected by air with New Delhi and Mumbai. Other routes are from Nagpur Airport and Raipur Airport. These towns are well connected by rail and road as well.

Uday writes often on Indian wildlife especially about the tigers. He works as a naturalist and is fond of travel. Uday also provides search engine optimization service and website contents in English.