Panna Tiger Reserve

      Panna is situated in the Vindhyan Range and spreads over Panna and Chhatarpur districts in the northern part of the Madhya Pradesh (M.P.) State of India.

      One of the most significant ecological aspects of the Reserve is that the district Panna makes the northern most boundary of natural distribution of teak and the eastern limits of teak-kardhai mixed forests.

     The Ken river, which flows through the Reserve from south to north, is the home for long snouted crocodile (gharial) and Marsh Crocodile (maggar) and other aquatic fauna. It is one of the sixteen perennial rivers of M.P. and is truly the life-line of the Reserve. It offers some of the most spectacular scenery while it meanders for about 55 km. through the Reserve.

The terrain of the Reserve is characterised by extensive plateaus and gorges. The topography in the Panna district part of the Reserve can broadly be divided into three distinct tablelands - the upper Talgaon Plateau, the middle Hinouta Plateau and the Ken valley while there are series of undulating hills and plateaus on the other side of Ken river in the Chhatarpur district.

The Reserve's most undisturbed habitat of about 70-80 sq. km. lies on the Hinouta plateau. This is due to relocation of three villages from this area in 1980s. Dry and short grass habitat with open woodland is quite extensive. It supports Blue Bull (nilgai) and chinkara. The areas with tall grasses associated with woodland, support good densities of sambar and chital. Mesic areas are distributed along the major seasonal streams and in the Ken river valley. Steep slopes of plateaus are drier and are dominated by Acacia catachu. Distribution of these habitats creates a heterogeneous landscape, where ecological conditions vary seasonally.

Panna Tiger Reserve is most important PA in the north-central highlands of India, as it links the eastern and western populations of wild animals through the NE-SW running Vindhyan ranges.

Conservation History

Panna National Reserve was created in 1981. It was declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1994, 22nd in the country and fifth in the state. The National Reserve consists of areas from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary created in 1975. This sanctuary comprised of territorial forests of the present North Panna Forest Division to which a portion of the adjoining Chhatarpur Forest Division was added later. The reserved forests of the Reserve in Panna district and some protected forests on Chhatarpur district were the hunting preserves of the erstwhile rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur and Bijawar princely states.

Census      

Wildlife population estimations

Archeology     

The Reserve is dotted with ancient rock paintings, which are believed to be around two thousand years old. Old relics of Gondwana period (rule of the tribal people of Central India) are scattered all over the Reserve.

Forest Types  

Southern tropical dry deciduous dry teak ,Northern tropical dry deciduous mixed forest, Dry deciduous scrub forest ,Boswellia forest ,Dry bamboo brakes , Anogeissus pendula forest .
Major Flora

Main Species

Tree:

Tectona grandis, Diospyrous melanoxylon, Madhuca indica, Buchanania tanzan, Anogeissus latifolia, Anogeissus pendula, Lannea coromandalica, Boswellia serrata, Acacia catechu, Zizyphus spp., Aegle marmelos, Butea monosperma and Gardenia spp.

Major Fauna
Main Species

Mammlas:

Tiger, Jungle Cat, Leopard, Hyena, Wild Dog, Wolf, Sloth Bear, Sambhar, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Chausinga, Porcupine, Jungle Cat, Rusty Spotted Cat, Hare, Ratel and Tree Shrew .

Reptile :

Long snouted crocodile (gharial) and Marsh Crocodile (mugger) are found in the Ken river.