Explore the 7 Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh with Beautiful Maps

7 Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is known as the ‘tiger state’ of India due to its significant population of tigers. The state has made commendable efforts in tiger conservation with seven tiger reserves that provide safe habitats for the big cats to thrive. These reserves not only harbor rich biodiversity of flora and fauna but also represent important forest ecosystems of central India.

This article by UCN Team takes a look at the Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh, their critical statistics, vegetation, wildlife, conservation efforts and importance in preserving these pristine wildernesses. Watch the second half of this video to learn more on location of the new Tiger Reserves of MP.

Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh

Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh Map

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Date of declaration as Tiger reserve: 1993

Area:

• Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Area: 1536.93 km2

Tiger Population in 2022: 135

Major Fauna:

• Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, chital, sambar, nilgai, chinkara, chausingha

Major Flora:

• Tropical moist deciduous forest dominated by sal trees
• Bamboos found throughout

River: Umrar river

Key Features:

Bandhavgarh is known for its high density of tigers and is considered to have one of the highest densities of herbivores in India. It has meadows like Sehra Dadra with unique insectivorous plants. The landscape is characterized by hills, valleys and plains and has several archaeological sites showing its heritage value.

Kanha Tiger Reserve

Date of declaration as Tiger reserve: 1973-1974

Total AREA: 2074 sq km

Tiger Population in 2022: tiger populations ranging from 100 to 150 (Source )

Major Fauna

• Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, barasingha, chital, sambar, nilgai, wild dog, jackal, jungle cat

Major Flora

• Sal, bamboo, teak, mahua, tendu, bel, peepal, dhawa

River

• Banjar River flows through the reserve

Key Features

• Known for successful conservation of barasingha deer from near extinction
• Inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book
• High density of herbivores like chital, sambar, barasingha supporting viable tiger population
• Relocation of villages from core area to reduce human-wildlife conflict
• Active wildlife management like translocation of gaur to Bandhavgarh, hand-rearing orphaned tiger cubs
• Good practices like benefit sharing with local communities, staff welfare initiatives, tourism fund utilization

Panna Tiger Reserve

Date of declaration as Tiger reserve: 1982-1983

Total AREA: 1578.55 sq km

Tiger Population in 2022:

The current estimated population of tigers in this block is 79 individuals occupying an area of 2840 km2

Major Fauna:

• Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, striped hyena, jackal, wolf, wild dog
• Sambar, chital, nilgai, chinkara, four-horned antelope, wild pig
• Langur, rhesus macaque

Major Flora:

• Tropical dry deciduous forests
• Savannah grasslands

River:

Ken river flows through the reserve for 55 km

KEY FEATURES:

Panna Tiger Reserve located in Vindhyan ranges of Madhya Pradesh. Habitat diversity includes savannah grasslands, tropical dry forests on slopes. Ken river flows through reserve. Known for successful tiger reintroduction after local extinction in 2009. Supports rich fauna including tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog. Vulture population present with nesting cliffs. Crucial connectivity value linking tiger populations of Central India.

Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh

Date of declaration as Tiger reserve: 1993

Total AREA: 1,180 sq km (approx)

Tiger Population in 2022: 77 tigers

Major Fauna: Bengal tiger, leopard, wild dog, sloth bear, jackal, fox, gaur, sambar, nilgai, chinkara, wild boar

Major Flora: Teak, mahua, palash, mango, jamun, tendu, ber

River: Pench river flows through the reserve

KEY FEATURES:

Pench Tiger Reserve is located in the southern part of the Satpura hill ranges in Madhya Pradesh. It is home to rich biodiversity including tigers, leopards, sloth bears and many prey species like chital, sambar, nilgai etc. The deciduous forests with teak, mahua, palash etc provide ideal habitat for the wildlife. The reserve derives its name from the Pench river that splits the park into two. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book is said to be based in this region.

The reserve connects the tiger landscapes of Satpura and Tadoba-Andhari via forest corridors. Conservation efforts have led to an increase in tiger numbers over the years. Eco-tourism is promoted in the reserve through safaris and nature walks. The Pench plays an important role in preserving the rich biodiversity of Central India.

Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve

Date of declaration as Tiger Reserve: 2008-2009

Total Area: 1674.5 sq km (Core: 812.581 sq km, Buffer: 861.93 sq km)

Tiger Population in 2022: The tiger count at Sanjay Dubri is around 35

Major Fauna: Tiger, elephant, sloth bear, leopard, spotted deer, blue bull, chinkara, barking deer, wild pig

Major Flora: North Indian moist deciduous forest, North Indian dry deciduous forest, dense to open sal forests, bamboo

Rivers: Gopad, Banas, Mawai, Mahan, Kodmar, Umrari. The rivers Gopad and Banas ultimately flow into the Son River, contributing to the rich and diverse ecosystem of the region

Key Features:

Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve is located in the north-eastern part of Madhya Pradesh. It is part of the Bandhavgarh-Sanjay-Guru Ghasidas-Palamau tiger conservation landscape. The terrain comprises of plain areas in Dubri Sanctuary and undulating hills in Sanjay National Park. Though the tiger population is currently low, strict protection measures have improved the habitat. There are two important corridors connecting it to Bandhavgarh and Guru Ghasidas National Park which facilitate tiger dispersal. The rich biodiversity and habitat improvement indicates potential to host a viable tiger population in the reserve.

Satpura Tiger Reserve

Date of declaration as Tiger Reserve: 1999-2000

Area:

• Core/Critical Tiger Habitat: 1339.26 sq.km
• Buffer/Peripheral Area: 794.04 sq.km
• Total Area: 2133.3 sq.km

Tiger Population in 2022: Currently, the population is estimated to be 149 tigers within an area of 9,427 km2

Major Fauna: Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, chital, sambar, nilgai, four-horned antelope, wild dog

Major Flora: Tropical moist deciduous forest, tropical dry deciduous forest, tropical dry deciduous teak forest, tropical dry deciduous mixed forest. Vegetation includes teak, mahua, palash, plum, tendu, moyan, sajja etc.

River: Denwa River is the main river that flows through the Satpura Tiger Reserve

Key Features:

The Satpura Tiger Reserve is an important representative of the central Indian highlands ecosystem. It has diverse land resources and rich biodiversity including rare bryophytes, pteridophytes, endemic flora and fauna. There are over 50 rock shelters dating back 1500-10000 years that provide evidence of human evolution. The Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, located in the Satpura Range of Madhya Pradesh, India, was was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1999.

The tiger reserve is connected to the large tiger habitats of central India through forest corridors. Important conservation efforts include village relocation from core area, weed eradication, grassland development, and monitoring programs like M-STrIPES.

Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve

Date of declaration as Tiger reserve: 2023

Total AREA: 1414.006 sq km

Tiger Population in 2022: No data available yet

Major Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth bear, Wild dog, Four-horned antelope, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai

Major Flora:

Tropical moist deciduous forests, dominated by sal and teak trees

KEY Features:

Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It was declared as the state’s 7th tiger reserve in 2023. The reserve is spread across three districts – Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur. It includes the previously notified Durgavati and Nauradehi wildlife sanctuaries.

The core area of the reserve covers 1414 sq km while the buffer zone is 925 sq km. The forests are dominated by sal and teak trees. Major fauna found here include tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, four-horned antelopes, chital, sambar, and nilgai. The area holds good potential for increasing the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh.

Final Thoughts

It’s clear to the UCN team that, the tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh exemplify the state’s commitment to preserve its natural heritage and wildlife. While challenges like poaching and human-animal conflict remain, stringent protection and management practices have led to stable tiger populations in the reserves. Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Panna, Pench, Satpura and the newly declared Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve represent a wide spectrum of central Indian landscapes from deciduous forests, valleys to highlands.

They safeguard biodiversity hotspots with several endangered, rare and endemic species of flora and fauna. These reserves allow breeding tigers to disperse via corridors to forests across the state and beyond. The focus for the future must be on maintaining the integrity of habitats and mitigating challenges through innovative solutions. The tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh are crucial for the long-term viability of wild tigers in the country.

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