ABOUT PANNA TIGER RESERVE

Nestled in the Vindhyas, Panna National Park was created in 1981. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1994. Spread over Panna and Chattarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh, the tiger reserve lies in the transitional area between tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests and moist deciduous forests. Characterized by extensive plateaus and gorges, the area marks the northernmost tip of the natural teak forests and the easternmost tip of natural ‘Kardhai’ forests. The Ken river meanders through the forests.

The land is blessed with vast stretches of fertile alluvial soil formed by erosion and silt deposition of Brahmaputra river. The landscape varies from exposed sandbars, riverine flood lakes called beels and elevated regions known as chapories. The lad is covered with forest of evergreen and semi-evergreen type. The park is surrounded by tea plantations.

The reserve has a bench topography, which can broadly be divided into: i) upper Talgaon Plateau, ii) the middle Hinnauta plateau and iii)the Ken valley. The park along with the surrounding forest areas of North and South Panna divisions is the only large chunk of wildlife habitat remaining in North Madhya Pradesh.

The park is rich in biodiversity. The Ken river which flows to the park, is a home to mugger and other aquatic fauna is among the least polluted rivers. Besides tiger, leopard, chital, chinkara, nilgai, sambhar and sloth bear are found here. The park boasts of over 200 species of birds including the bar-headed goose, honey buzzard, king vulture, blossom-headed parakeet, Changeable hawk-eagle and Indian vulture.

Panna was bestowed with the Award of Excellence in 2007 as the best maintained park in India by Ministry of Tourism. It was declared as the biosphere reserve in 2011.

WHEN TO GO ?

October to June is the best time to visit the park.