Panna Tiger Reserve

Panna Tiger Reserve
Located amidst the sylvan settings of the north
central part of Madhya Pradesh, the tiger
reserve is spread over an area of 1578.55 sq
km within the districts of Panna and
Chhatarpur. Once the hunting reserve of the
erstwhile rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur and
Bijawar States, Panna National Park was
constituted in the year 1981 and declared a
tiger reserve in 1994. Of the total tiger reserve
area of 1578.55 sq km, Panna national park
has an area of 542.69 sq km, Gangau Wildlife
Sanctuary 87.53 sq km and Ken Gharial
Wildlife Sanctuary at a distance of about 30
km from Panna national park, an area of 45.20
sq km. The world famous temple town of
Khajuraho is just 25 km and a mere half an
hour drive away.
The main forest types found in Panna Tiger
Reserve are southern tropical dry teak forest
and northern tropical dry deciduous mixed
forest. Other types include dry deciduous
scrub forest, Salai (Boswellia seratta) forest,
dry bamboo brakes and kard hai (Anogeissus
pendula) forest. Tendu, Aonla, Ber, Bel, Ghont,
Kaitha, Achar etc. make valuable fruit diet of
the animals here. Several varieties of grasses
are found all over and the reserve is rich in
fodder.
The life line of the park, Ken river meanders
for about 55 km through the tiger reserve
from south to north. Springs and gorges along
the course of Ken river offer magnificent
sights. Springs (locally called jhirias) are the
major water sources available during the
months of summer.
Sightings of Tiger is reported. Leopard is more
common. One can easily see nilgai and
chinkara in most open areas. The wooded areas
are dotted with sambhar, chital and
chousingha. Sloth bear is mostly found in the
rock escarpments. The other animals include
jack al, hyena, rhesus monkey, langur and wild
pig. More than 200 species of birds including a
host of migratory birds have been sighted in
the park . The avifauna include paradise
flycatcher, pond heron, partridges, quails, pea
fowls, parakeets, egrets, mynas, bulbul,
cuckoo, jungle crow etc.
Common reptiles comprise lizards, chameleon,
Indian python, cobra and kraits. Aquatic
animals include crocodile and a variety of fish
is found in Ken river. Gharial, a rare &
endangered species, can be seen in the Ken
Gharial Sanctuary. Madla and Hinouta are the
two entry gates to the park.