2002 Census | Mammals | Birds | Seasons
KANHA NATIONAL PARK and Tiger Reserve is considered one of Asia's finest protected areas and probably the best place in the world to see tigers in the wild. Tracts of Kanha have been a wildlife sanctuary since 1933. In 1955, 318 sq km was declared a National Park and in 1973, 940 sq kms became one of the first nine Project Tiger Reserves.
Kanha was expanded in 1976 - the National Park now has a core area of 940 sq km and a buffer zone of 1005 sq km.
Kanha is situated in the Maikal hills, in the Satpura range of the central Indian highlands, in the State of Madhya Pradesh (22o 17'N, 80o 38'E). The land rises from 450 to 950 metres above sea level, and is drained by tributaries of the Narmada river. Mandla is 65 kms, and Jabalpur 160 kms, from Kanha.
There are four main vegetation types - moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest, valley meadow, and dadar meadow. The moist deciduous forest, which covers 27% of the Park area, is dominated by sal trees. The forest is broken up into grassy meadows, the result of early slash-and-burn cultivation by Baiga tribals.
2002 CENSUS :
114 Tigers and 86 Leopards
MAMMALS :
Include tiger, leopard, jungle cat, ruddy mongoose, hanuman langur (monkey), wild boar, gaur (indian bison), barasingha (swamp deer), sambar, chital, muntjac (barking deer), hyena, wolf, jackal, Indian fox, dhole (wild dog), and sloth bear.
BIRDS :
The rich birdlife is a constant source of fascination.
There are 260 recorded species of birds, including the crested hawk eagle, greyheaded fishing eagle, honey buzzard, king vulture, black ibis, whitenecked stork, cotton teal, green pigeon, grey hornbill, pygmy woodpecker, blackheaded oriole, greater racket-tailed drongo, scarlet minivet, and Tickell's blue flycatcher.
SEASONS :
The winter months (November to early March) are delightfully cool and dry, with the day temperature rarely going above a comfortable 32oC, and the night temperature dipping as low as 2oC with occasional frost. By mid January most deciduous trees begin to shed their leaves. In early February, the simal trees are covered in large scarlet flowers. The sal is soon covered in bright green, new growth. The rutting season of the barasingha - one of the rarest animals on earth - is in December and January. Their haunting, bugling calls echo across the meadows and spectacular fights can be seen between stags.
The summer months (March to mid June) are hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 42oC in the day to 20oC at night. The grasses on the meadows are pale and parched. The sal trees begin to bloom in March. The rivers and nullahs dry up and the days get hotter and hotter. During the summer, when water is scarce, the gaurs descend from the forested hills to feed around the meadows. This is also the time when a tiger census is carried out by the Park authorities. Individual tiger pugmarks are collected, either by tracing the pugmarks using a glass tracer, or by making a plaster cast.
As soon as the monsoon breaks in mid to late June, the Park is closed to visitors. Kanha is transformed with lush new growth. The rivers fill to bursting point. It is humid and wet with temperatures ranging from 20oC to 30oC. Kanha has an annual rainfall of 1600 mm (approx 64 inches) or more, 95% of which falls during the monsoon, from late June to September.
KANHA NATIONAL PARK and Tiger Reserve is considered one of Asia's finest protected areas and probably the best place in the world to see tigers in the wild. Tracts of Kanha have been a wildlife sanctuary since 1933. In 1955, 318 sq km was declared a National Park and in 1973, 940 sq kms became one of the first nine Project Tiger Reserves.
Kanha was expanded in 1976 - the National Park now has a core area of 940 sq km and a buffer zone of 1005 sq km.
Kanha is situated in the Maikal hills, in the Satpura range of the central Indian highlands, in the State of Madhya Pradesh (22o 17'N, 80o 38'E). The land rises from 450 to 950 metres above sea level, and is drained by tributaries of the Narmada river. Mandla is 65 kms, and Jabalpur 160 kms, from Kanha.
There are four main vegetation types - moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest, valley meadow, and dadar meadow. The moist deciduous forest, which covers 27% of the Park area, is dominated by sal trees. The forest is broken up into grassy meadows, the result of early slash-and-burn cultivation by Baiga tribals.
2002 CENSUS :
114 Tigers and 86 Leopards
MAMMALS :
Include tiger, leopard, jungle cat, ruddy mongoose, hanuman langur (monkey), wild boar, gaur (indian bison), barasingha (swamp deer), sambar, chital, muntjac (barking deer), hyena, wolf, jackal, Indian fox, dhole (wild dog), and sloth bear.
BIRDS :
The rich birdlife is a constant source of fascination.
There are 260 recorded species of birds, including the crested hawk eagle, greyheaded fishing eagle, honey buzzard, king vulture, black ibis, whitenecked stork, cotton teal, green pigeon, grey hornbill, pygmy woodpecker, blackheaded oriole, greater racket-tailed drongo, scarlet minivet, and Tickell's blue flycatcher.
SEASONS :
The winter months (November to early March) are delightfully cool and dry, with the day temperature rarely going above a comfortable 32oC, and the night temperature dipping as low as 2oC with occasional frost. By mid January most deciduous trees begin to shed their leaves. In early February, the simal trees are covered in large scarlet flowers. The sal is soon covered in bright green, new growth. The rutting season of the barasingha - one of the rarest animals on earth - is in December and January. Their haunting, bugling calls echo across the meadows and spectacular fights can be seen between stags.
The summer months (March to mid June) are hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 42oC in the day to 20oC at night. The grasses on the meadows are pale and parched. The sal trees begin to bloom in March. The rivers and nullahs dry up and the days get hotter and hotter. During the summer, when water is scarce, the gaurs descend from the forested hills to feed around the meadows. This is also the time when a tiger census is carried out by the Park authorities. Individual tiger pugmarks are collected, either by tracing the pugmarks using a glass tracer, or by making a plaster cast.
As soon as the monsoon breaks in mid to late June, the Park is closed to visitors. Kanha is transformed with lush new growth. The rivers fill to bursting point. It is humid and wet with temperatures ranging from 20oC to 30oC. Kanha has an annual rainfall of 1600 mm (approx 64 inches) or more, 95% of which falls during the monsoon, from late June to September.
