As most of the National Parks and Tiger Reserves in India, Panna was also originally a hunting ground by the ruler of Panna, Chattarpur and Sijawer states. Panna National Park is located in Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh in central India. It has an area of 542 sq km. It was declared in 1994 as the twenty second Tiger reserve of India and the fifth in Madhya Pradesh. Panna was given the Award of Excellence in 2007 as the best maintained national park of India by the Ministry of Tourism of India, and on the other hand Panna has seen the downfall as well in 2009 with almost extinction of Tigers due to poaching. Thanks, the recovery program which was made and Tigresses from Bandhavgarh, Kanha along with Tiger from Pench Tiger reserve was introduced and became a big success. Presently there are between 35-40 of these magnificent cats present in Panna National Park.
The location of the National Park is also important because it is situated at a point where the continuity of the forest belt, which starts from Cape Comorin in the south, is broken and beyond this begins great Gangetic plains. This area is also the northern most tip of the natural teak forests and the eastern most tip of the natural Kardhai forests. The Ken River truly the life of the reserve, which flows through the Reserve from south to north, is home for Gharial and Mugger, and other aquatic fauna and is one of the least polluted rivers and a tributary of Yamuna.
The terrain of the reserve is characterised by extensive plateaus and gorges. The reserve which has a bench topography, can broadly be divided into three distinct tablelands on Panna side: the upper Talgaon Plateau, the middle Hinnauta plateau and the Ken valley. Series of undulating hills and plateaus rise on the other side of Ken River in Chattarpur district.
The Panna Biosphere Reserve was designated in 2020 by UNESCO. It encompasses Panna National Park, three sections of the Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary (I, III and IV) and the reserved and protected forests of the North Panna Forest Division. The reserve provides significant habitat for the Bengal tiger. Other resident animals in the reserve include the caracal and the jungle cat. Over 250 species of birds have been recorded, including the Indian paradise flycatcher, bar-headed goose, crested honey buzzard, red-headed vulture, blossom-headed parakeet, changeable hawk-eagle and Indian vulture.
Mammals: tiger, Indian leopard, Chital, Chinkara, Nilgai, Sambar deer and Sloth Bear, Four Horned Antelope (Chausingha), Rusty-spotted cat, Asian palm civet, Crocodile, Gharial etc.
Birds: Indian paradise flycatcher, Bar-headed goose, Crested honey buzzard, Red-headed vulture, Blossom-headed parakeet, Changeable hawk-eagle, Indian vulture, Sulphur Bellied Warbler, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Stork Billed Kingfisher to name a few.
Forest Type
Dry Deciduous Forest (Teak vegetation)
Yearly and weekly off
Holi, Diwali and Every Wednesday afternoon Safari
Area
542 square kilometer
