National Parks in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is home to 11 national parks.

Bandhavgarh National Park

• Location: Umaria district, Madhya Pradesh, India; situated in the Vindhya Hills; named after ancient Bandhavgarh Fort.
• Famous For: White Tigers; highest tiger density in India (one tiger per 8 sq km).
• Hunting Reserve: Former hunting reserve of Maharajas of Rewa.
• White Tiger Mohan: First white tiger captured by Maharaja Martand Singh in 1951.
• National Park: Declared in 1968 (including Bandhavgarh Fort).
• Tiger Reserve: Status granted under Project Tiger in 1993.
• Area: 505 sq km (Core area ~105 sq km (40.5 sq miles); buffer area ~400 sq km).
• Zones: Tala, Magdhi, Khitauli.
• Hills: Vindhya Hills region.
• Rivers/Streams: Johilla, Janadh, Charanganga, Damnar, Banbei, Ambanala, Andhiyari Jhiria.
• Lakes: Mahaman Pond (popular man-made lake).
• Tribes: Gond, Baiga, Kol.
• Plants: Sal, Tendu, Saja, Dhawada, Kadam, Arjun.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Indian Wild Dog, Indian Fox, Sloth Bear, Rusty Spotted Cat, Elephant, Striped Hyena, Chinkara.

Dinosaur Fossils National Park

• Location: Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Famous For: Rare dinosaur fossils (~65 million years old).
• History: Established in 2011.
• Area: 89.740 hectares.
• Plants (Fossils): Gymnosperm, Araucaria, Podocarpus, Jackfruit, Palm Tree Species, Blue Green Algae floral fossils found in the park.
• Animals (Fossils): Dinosaur Bones, Dinosaur Eggs, Dinosaur Scat, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Fish, Porifera Species faunal fossils found in this park.

Fossil National Park

• Location: Near Shahpura village, Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Other Names: Dindori Plant Fossils National Park, Ghughua Fossil Park.
• Famous For: Plant fossils; largest fossil park in Asia, second largest in the world.
• Founded: In 1970s by Dr. Dharmendra Prasad.
• National Park: Declared National Park in 1983.
• Area: 75 acres (0.30 km²); spread across 7 villages – Ghuguwa, Umaria, Deorakhurd, Barbaspur, Chanti Hills, Chargaon, Deori Kohani.
• Plants (Fossils): Fossils of 31 genera from 18 families identified.

Kanha National Park

• Location: Mandla and Balaghat districts, Madhya Pradesh, India; also known as Kanha-Kisli National Park.
• Famous For: Globally famous Barasingha (Swamp Deer); inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
• Reserve Forest: Established in 1879.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1933.
• National Park: Granted status in 1955.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared under Project Tiger in 1973.
• Area: ~940 sq km (363 sq miles).
• Hills: Maikal Hills range of Satpura Range.
• River: Banjar River.
• Tribes: Gond, Baiga.
• Plants: Sal, Mahua, Amla, Harra, Tendu, Semal.
• Animals: Bengal Tiger, Barasingha, Indian Leopard, Dhole, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Black Ibis.

Kuno National Park

• Location: Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Established in 1981.
• National Park: Status granted in 2018.
• Area: ~344 sq km (133 sq miles).
• Hills: Vindhyan Hills.
• River: Kuno River (flows South to North).
• Tribes: Sahariyas, Gujjars, Moghiya, Bhil.
• Plants: Teak, Tendu, Dhawada, Salai, Palash, Babul, Spear Grass, Elephant Grass, Kadam, Jamun etc.
• Animals: Cheetah, Indian Leopard, Sloth Bear, Dhole, Indian Wolf, Striped Hyena, Bengal Fox, Chital, Sambar, Chousingha, Blackbuck, Indian White-backed Vulture, Long-billed Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Mugger Crocodile, Gharial, Indian Softshell.
• Special Notes: Identified as a potential reintroduction site for the Cheetah and Asiatic Lion.

Madhav National Park

• Location: Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, India; Also known as Shivpuri National Park.
• Hunting Ground: Used by Mughal emperors, Maharajas of Gwalior, later British.
• National Park: Established as Shivpuri National Park in 1956.
• Renaming: Renamed Madhav National Park in 1958 in honor of Madho Rao Scindia.
• Ramsar Site: Sakhya Sagar designated in 2022.
• Area: ~354 sq km (137 sq miles).
• Hills: Vindhya Range.
• River: Manier River, Sindh River.
• Lake: Sakhya Sagar, Madhav Sagar (man-made).
• Tribes: Saharia (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group).
• Plants: Teak, Sal, Dhok, Khair, Salai, Dhawda, Tendu, Kadam.
• Animals: Tigers, Leopards, Chinkara, Chousingha, Chital, Sambar, Barking Deer.

Pench National Park

• Location: Seoni and Chhindwara districts, Madhya Pradesh, India; some parts in Maharashtra.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1977.
• National Park: Upgraded to national park in 1983.
• Renaming: Renamed Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park.
• Tiger Reserve: Designated under Project Tiger in 1992.
• Area: ~758 sq km (Core: 292.85 sq km, Buffer: 465 sq km).
• Hills: Southern lower slopes of Satpura Range.
• River: Pench River.
• Lake: Kamthikhairy Dam (Pench Dam), Kohka Lake.
• Tribes: Gonds, Baigas, Kolams.
• Plants: Teak, Saja, Haldu, Dhaora, Salai, Amla, Amaltas, White Kulu Trees (Ghost Trees), Mahua.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Hyena, Gaur (Indian Bison), Sambar, Spotted Deer.

Panna National Park

• Location: Panna and Chhatarpur districts, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Hunting Ground: Reserved forests were hunting preserves for the former princely states of Panna, Chhatrapur, and Bijawar.
• National Park: Established as Panna National Park in 1981.
• Tiger Reserve: Designated under Project Tiger in 1994.
• Awards: Award of Excellence as best-maintained national park (2007, Ministry of Tourism, India).
• Biosphere Reserve: Notified by Government of India in 2011; UNESCO designation in 2020.
• Area: ~542 sq km (209 sq miles).
• Hills: Vindhya mountain range.
• River: Ken River.
• Waterfalls: Raneh Falls (confluence of Ken and Khuddar rivers).
• Lake: Gangau Reservoir (man-made, at confluence of Ken and Simiri rivers).
• Plants: Teak, Sal, Jamun, Mahua, Tendu, Flame of the Forest, Amla, Arjun, Bel.
• Animals: Bengal Tiger, Indian Leopard, Chital, Chinkara, Sambar Deer, Sloth Bear, Rusty-spotted Cat, Bareheaded Goose, Red-headed Vulture, Indian Vulture, Mugger Crocodile, Indian Flapshell Turtle.

Satpura National Park

• Location: Narmadapuram District (Hoshangabad), Madhya Pradesh, India.
• National Park: Designated as National Park in 1981.
• Tiger Reserve: Included in Project Tiger in 2000; core part of Satpura Tiger Reserve.
• Area: ~524 sq km (202 sq miles).
• Hills: Satpura Range.
• Highest Point: Dhoopgarh.
• River: Denwa River.
• Lake: Tawa Reservoir (man-made, formed by Tawa Dam).
• Rock Shelters: More than 50 ancient rock shelters with prehistoric paintings.
• Plants: Sal, Teak, Tendu, Mahua, Dhawda, Khair, Bija, Elephant Grass, Arjun, Jamun.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Indian Bison (Gaur), Indian Giant Squirrel, Sambar, Chital, Chinkara, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Mugger Crocodile.

Sanjay-Dubri National Park

• Location: Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Hunting Ground: Served as hunting grounds for the princely state of Rewa.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1975.
• National Park: Upgraded and expanded to national park in 1981.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 2008.
• Ecological Corridor: Connects Kanha Tiger Reserve and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
• Area: ~831 sq km (321 sq miles).
• River: Gopad, Banas, Mawai, Mahan, Kodmar, Umrari.
• Plants: Sal, Teak, Mahua, Saja, Bija, Ashok, Bel, Semal,.
• Animals: Bengal Tiger, Indian Leopard, Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, Chinkara, Dhole, Hyena, Red-headed Vulture, White-rumped Vulture.

Van Vihar National Park

• Location: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Establishment: National Park was established in 1979.
• Type: National Park, Zoo, Rescue Centre, Conservation Breeding Centre.
• Area: ~4.45 sq km (1.72 sq miles).
• Hills: Shymala Hills.
• Lake: Adjacent to Upper Lake (Bada Talab).
• Plants: Teak, Sal, Mahua, Jamun, Indian Gooseberry, Indian Madder, Neem.
• Animals (Captive): Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Asiatic Wildcat, Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena, Mugger Crocodile, Gharial, Chital, Sambar, Blackbuck, White-rumped Vulture, Long-billed Vultures.