Panna Tiger Reserve is a prime tiger land located in Vindhya hills in northern Madhya Pradesh. Often called ‘the land of mesmerising waterfalls’ the park landscape is characterised by extensive plateaus and gorges. The park is brimming with natural and archaeological splendour and is an area of legends and cultural richness. Panna Tiger Reserve is one of the most important protected areas in the north-central highlands of India. Spread across 1598 sq. km- core area of 576.13 and buffer area of 1021.97 sq km, Panna’s landscape features deep gorges, cascading waterfalls, and dry deciduous forests along the Ken River.
Panna’s Conservation Success: A Model for Tiger Preservation in India
Panna National Park is a remarkable example of successful tiger conservation in India. Panna lost its entire tiger population between 2006-2008 due to poaching, and subsequently underwent a groundbreaking tiger reintroduction program beginning in 2009, involving translocation of 3 tigers from other reserves. Today, Panna boasts a healthy and growing tiger population with 50 plus tigers, becoming a national model for wildlife preservation and management.
Key Conservation Efforts:
Tiger Reintroduction and Monitoring: Panna’s success is attributed to strategic reintroduction, continuous monitoring with advanced technology like GPS collars, and dedicated anti-poaching units.
Community Involvement: The park’s conservation strategy includes involving local communities, promoting awareness, and creating alternative livelihoods to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Habitat Restoration: Efforts in habitat restoration, including water management and prey base augmentation, have significantly improved the ecological balance.
Panna’s achievements underscore the importance of coordinated conservation efforts, making it a beacon of hope for other tiger reserves in India.
Today, the national park is an ideal home to diverse flora and fauna including cheetals, chinkaras, sambhar and sloth bears. Panna is also home to carnivore beings such as leopards, wild dogs, Indian wolves, hyenas, caracal and other smaller cats. Panna also boasts a variety of snakes, including the python and other reptiles. The wooded areas are dotted with sambar, the largest of Indian deers, chital and chowsingha. One can easily see nilgai and chinkara in most open areas in the grasslands, especially on the periphery.
The number of bird species found in Panna is 200 including the migratory ones. One can find species like white-necked stork, bar-headed geese, honey buzzards, king vultures, blossom-headed parakeets, paradise flycatchers, and slaty-headed scimitar babblers.
Safaris at Panna National Park
Regular Jeep Safaris: Regular Jeep Safaris are conducted twice daily- morning and evening. The morning safari starts around 6 AM ( changes with season depending on sunrise) and lasts for up to 3.00- 3.50 hours. Packed breakfast is provided to guests going on morning safari which can be eaten at a designated area inside the park during safari hours. The duration of the evening safari is 3.00- 3.30 hours again depending on sunset.
Walking Safaris: Satpura National Park also offers walking safaris on guided trails in the buffer zone. The guests are accompanied by a naturalist and a forest guard, learning about the flora and fauna of Satpura. The Walking safari is a welcome break from the tiring jeep safaris.
Boat Safari: Boat or Canoe rides are also offered on the Ken River at Panna Tiger Reserve.
