Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is often referred to as the “Tiger State” due to its significant population of Bengal tigers. The state is home to 9 tiger reserves.

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

• Location: Umaria district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Tiger Density: Recognized for one of the highest tiger densities in India; one tiger per 8 sq km.
• White Tiger: Famous for White Tigers; first white tiger (Mohan) captured in 1951 by Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa.
• National Park: Declared in 1968 to protect tigers.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 1993.
• Area: 1536.938 sq km (Core: 716.903 sq km; Buffer: 820.035 sq km).
• Core Areas: Bandhavgarh National Park (452.666 sq km) and Panpatha Wildlife Sanctuary (264.235 sq km).
• Zones: Tala Zone, Magdi Zone, Bamera Zone.
• Hills: Situated in the eastern Satpura Hills.
• River: Johilla, Janadh, Charanganga, Damnar, Banbei, Ambanala, Andhiyari Jhiria; all streams merge into the Son River.
• Lake: Mahaman Pond (Mahaman Talab), located in the Tala Zone.
• Tribe: Baiga, Gond, Kol.
• Plants: Moist peninsular low-level sal forest, West Gangetic moist mixed deciduous forest, northern dry mixed deciduous forest, dry deciduous scrub forest.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Dhole, Sloth Bear, Otter, Rusty Spotted Cat, Elephant, Hyena, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Indian Softshell Turtle, Indian Flapshell Turtle.

Durgavati Tiger Reserve

• Location: Narasinghpur, Damoh, and Sagar districts, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Named After: Rani Durgavati, queen of the Gondi people.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Initially notified in 1996 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
• Tiger Reserve: Approved in 2022 by Madhya Pradesh Wildlife Board as a new tiger reserve to relocate tigers from Panna Tiger Reserve.
• Area: 2,339 sq km (Core: 1,414 sq km; Buffer: 925 sq km).
• Plants: Teak, Sal, Mahua, Indian Gooseberry.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena.

Kanha Tiger Reserve

• Location: Mandla and Balaghat districts, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Mascot: First tiger reserve in India to introduce a mascot, “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha.”
• Reserve Forest: Established in 1879.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1933.
• National Park: Upgraded in 1955 as Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 1973 under Project Tiger.
• Area: 2,051.791 sq km (Core: 940 sq km; Buffer: 1,134.361 sq km).
• Hills: Located in the Maikal Hills of the Satpura Range.
• River: Banjar River, Sulkum and Lata Mendola Streams.
• Tribe: Surrounding areas inhabited by Gond and Baiga tribes.
• Plants: Sal forests, bamboo groves, mixed forests.
• Animals: Bengal Tiger, Barasingha (Swamp Deer), Leopard, Gaur, Spotted Deer.
• Barasingha: Kanha is one of the last strongholds for the Barasingha, which is also the state animal of Madhya Pradesh.

Madhav Tiger Reserve

• Location: Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Former Names: Shivpuri National Park; renamed Madhav National Park in 1958 in honor of Madho Rao Scindia.
• Historical Significance: Former hunting ground for Mughal emperors, Maharajas of Gwalior, and later the British.
• National Park: Established in 1956.
• Ramsar Site: Sakhya Sagar designated as Ramsar site in 2022.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared India’s 58th tiger reserve in March 2025.
• Area: 354 sq km (Core: 375.233 sq km; Buffer: 1,276.154 sq km).
• Hills: Located in the Vindhya Range.
• Rivers: Manier and Sindh Rivers.
• Lakes: Sakhya Sagar and Madhav Sagar (man-made, created on Manier River in 1918).
• Tribe: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) such as Saharia.
• Plants: Teak, Sal, Dhok, Khair, Salai, Dhawda, Tendu, Palash.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Chinkara, Chousingha, Chital, Sambar, Barking Deer, marsh crocodiles.
• Wildlife Highlights: Apart from tigers, the park is known for its high population of marsh crocodiles, especially in Sakhya Sagar.

Panna Tiger Reserve

• Location: Panna and Chhatarpur districts, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Hunting Preserve: Former hunting preserves of the erstwhile rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur, and Bijawar princely states.
• National Park: Declared in 1981, consisting of areas from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 1994 under Project Tiger; 22nd tiger reserve of India and 5th in Madhya Pradesh.
• Tiger Reintroduction Program: Initiated in 2009 with tigers translocated from Bandhavgarh and Kanha; successful restoration of tiger population.
• Tourism Award: 2007 – “Best Maintained Tourist-Friendly National Park” by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• Biosphere Reserve: Core area declared in 2011, including Panna National Park, three sections of Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary, and North Panna Forest Division.
• UNESCO Status: Panna Biosphere Reserve recognized in 2020.
• Area: Total 1578.55 sq km (Core/Critical Tiger Habitat: 576.13 sq km; Buffer: 1002.42 sq km).
• Hills: Vindhya Hills, central India.
• River: Ken River.
• Plants: Teak, Sal, Jamun, Mahua.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Rusty-spotted Cat, Indian Vulture, Bar-headed Goose, Red-headed Vulture, Mugger Crocodile.

Pench Tiger Reserve

• Location: Seoni and Chhindwara districts, Madhya Pradesh, India; also extends into Maharashtra.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1965.
• National Park: Declared in 1983.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 1992 under Project Tiger.
• Cultural Significance: Associated with Rudyard Kipling’s novel, The Jungle Book.
• Area: Total 1179.63 sq km (Core/Critical Tiger Habitat: 411.33 sq km; Buffer/Peripheral Area: 768.30 sq km).
• Zones: Khursapur, Sillari, Wolf Sanctuary, Rukhad, Jamatra, Karmajhiri, Touria.
• Hills: Southern lower reaches of the Satpura Range.
• River: Pench River.
• Lakes/Reservoirs: Totladoh Reservoir (Meghdoot Dam), Kamthikhairy Dam (Pench Dam), Kohka Lake.
• Tribe: Gond, Baiga, Korku.
• Plants: Mahua, Saja, Bijiyasal, Dhaora, Amaltas.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Hyena, Four-horned Antelope, Sambar, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer.

Ratapani Tiger Reserve

• Location: Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Declared in 1976.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 2013; 7th tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh.
• Area: 824 sq km.
• Hills: Surrounded by Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges.
• Lakes/Reservoirs: Dahod Dam, Ratapani Dam (Barrusot Lake), Barna Dam.
• Plants: Teak (55% of reserve area), Sal, Bamboo, Mahua.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Dhole, Hyena, Chital, Sambar, Long-billed Vulture, Oriental White-backed Vulture, Red-headed Vulture.

Sanjay–Dubri Tiger Reserve

• Location: Sidhi and Shahdol districts, Madhya Pradesh, India; bordered by Guru Ghasidas National Park to the south.
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Established in 1975.
• National Park: Expanded in 1981 by merging Sanjay Wildlife Sanctuary with Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary to form Sanjay-Dubri National Park.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 2008 under Project Tiger.
• Area: 1674.511 sq km (Core/Critical: 812.581 sq km; Buffer: 861.930 sq km).
• Rivers: Gopad River, Banas River, Mawai River, Mahan River, Kodmar River, Umrari River.
• Plants: Sal forests, Mahua, Tendu, Teak, Bija, Saja, various species of figs.
• Animals: Tiger, Elephant, Panther, Chital, Sambar, Dhole, Red-headed Vulture, White-rumped Vulture, Egyptian Vulture.

Satpura Tiger Reserve

• Location: Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram) district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• National Park: Established in 1981.
• Biosphere Reserve: Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve declared in 1999, including Bori Sanctuary, Pachmarhi Sanctuary, and Satpura National Park.
• Tiger Reserve: Declared in 2000 under Project Tiger by merging Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, and Satpura National Park.
• UNESCO Status: Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve recognized in 2009.
• Area: 2,133.30 sq km (Core/Critical: 1,339.26 sq km; Buffer/Peripheral: 794.04 sq km).
• Hills: Satpura Range.
• River: Denwa River.
• Lakes: Tawa Reservoir, Madhai Reservoir.
• Rock Shelters and Ancient Paintings: Over 50 rock shelters with paintings of elephants, tigers, deer, and porcupines, 1,500–10,000 years old.
• Plants: Southern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest, Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest, Dry and Moist Grasslands.
• Animals: Tiger, Leopard, Indian Bison, Indian Giant Squirrel, Leaf-nosed Bats, Eurasian Otter, Sambar, Chital.