Madhya Pradesh Wildlife: Explore National Parks & Sanctuaries
Madhya Pradesh is known as the “Heart of India” because of its geographical location. It is the fifth-largest state in central India. This state is fully enriched by its culture and amazing biodiversity. Several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries made this state more beautiful. The river Narmada is the longest in MP.
| Number of National Parks | 9 |
| Number of Wildlife Sanctuary | 25 |
| Number of Tiger Reserve | 6 |
What is a National Park? National Parks are an area of the countryside protected by the state or the central govt. for the enjoyment of the general public or the preservation of wildlife under sec.35. or sec.38 or deemed, under sub-section (3) of sec.66.
National Parks MP
There are nine major national parks in the Madhya Pradesh state of India. They are:-
#1 Kanha National Park :
Kanha National Park also known as Kanha Tiger Reserve is the largest National Parks in Madhya Pradesh or MP. It is extended over 950 square km in the two districts Mandla and Balaghat of MP. This was established in 1955 and after the year 1973, It was made Kanha Tiger Reserve Zone. It is famous for its Royal Bengal Tiger. This park is described as the “spirit of the Indian jungle“.
Kanha Museum: The Kanha Museum inside the park provides information about the flora, fauna, and tribal culture of the region, offering an educational experience for visitors.
#2 Satpura National Park:
Satpura National Park covers an area of 530 square kilometers in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh in India. This national park was established in 1981. This is the third-largest national park in Madhya Pradesh in India. It is famous for leopards and tigers. Other animals such as fox, flying squirrel, chital, sambar, and various types of deer are making this place rich in biodiversity.
#3 Panna National Park:
Panna National Park covers an area of 550 square km in the district of Panna and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh. This park received the Award of Excellence in 2007 from the Ministry of Tourism in India for its best maintenance. This was established in 1981 and after the year 1994, it was made 22nd Tiger Reserve in India. This is famous for tiger and leopard. Around these there are other animals like chital, chinkara, nilgai, sambhar, and sloth bear are also found here. This is the second-largest national park in Madhya Pradesh.
#4 Bandhavgarh National Park:
Bandhavgarh National Park was declared in the year 1968. It covers an area of about 440 square km in the district of Umaria in Madhya Pradesh. This is infamous for the Royal Bengal Tiger. The majestic white tiger, Mohan was found at Bandhavgarh is the first time in India. There are thirty-seven types of animals, over 200 types of birds and a large number of butterflies making this place very rich in biodiversity.
#5 Sanjay National Park:
Some part of Sanjay National Park is located in the Kariya, Sidhi and Singrauli districts of Madhya Pradesh and the other part is in Chattisgarh. It is established in the year 1981. it extended over a 470 square kilometer area.
#6 Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is situated in Bhopal which is the capital city of MP. The area of this park is only 4.5 square km. This is very unique because in such a small area all the common animals are found to see here. It was created in the year of 1979 and managed as a Zoological park. This is famous for The gharial, also known as the gavial or fish-eating crocodile.
#7 Pench National Park:
Pench National Park was initially a wildlife sanctuary in 1965, but after the year 1975, it received the status of a National Park. Again after 1992, it was created as the tiger reserve. This is extended over the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and occupies an area of about 295 sq km. It is famous for rafting.
#8 Mandla Plant Fossils National Park:
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park is the smallest national park in Madhya Pradesh. It covers an area of about 0.3 sq km. Being covered in such a small area it received the status of a national park in the year 1983. It is located in the district Dindori of MP. It is famous for the Fossil of a bottle palm
#9 Madhav National Park
Madhav National Park is famous for its various types of deer. This is established in the year 1958. The major attraction that remains in these parks is the elephant. It is extended over 260 sq km. It is located in the Shivpuri District of MP. This is famous for deer and tigers and deer.
Wildlife Sanctuary in MP:
There are 25 major wildlife sanctuaries in this state. They are –
1> Bori Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 520 sq km
Location: Hoshangabad
2> Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 480 sq km
Location: Sindh district
3> Sidhi Phen Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 111 sq km
Location: Mandla
4> Ghatigaon Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 512 sq km
Location: Gwalior
5> Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 370 sq km
Mandsaur
6> Karera Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 200 sq km
Location: Shivpuri
7> Ken Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 46 sq km
Location: Chhatarpur, Panna
8> Kheoni Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 123 sq km
Location: Dewas, Sehore
9> Narsinghgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 58 sq km
Location: Rajgarh
10> National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 321 sq km
Location: Morena
11> Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 1,195 sq km
Location: Sagar
12> Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 462 sq km
Location: Hoshangabad
13> Panpatha Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 246 sq km
Location: Shahdol
14> Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 346 sq km
Location: Sheopur and Morena districts
15> Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 820 sq km
Location: Raisen
16> Sanjay-Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 365 sq km
Location: Sidhi
17> Singhori Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 290 sq km
Location: Raisen
18> Son Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 40 sq km
Location: Sidhi
19> Sardarpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 350 sq km
Location: Dhar
20> Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 13 sq km
Location: Ratlam
21> Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary Indore
Area: 2.4 sq km
Location: Indore
22> Orchha Wildlife Sanctuary Tikamgarh
Area: 3.2 sq km
Location: Tikamgarh
23> Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary
Area: 70 sq km
Location: Chhatarpur
24> Veerangna Wildlife Durgawati Sanctuary
Location: Damoh
Tiger Reserve In MP
There are six tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh. They are:-
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
Location: Umaria
No of Tigers: 68 tigers in 2014
Area: 550 sq km
Kanha Tiger Reserve
Location: Mandla, Balaghat
No of Tigers: 60 in 2010
Area: 940 sq km
Pench Tiger Reserve
Location: Seoni district of MP, Chhindwara
No of Tigers: 44 in 2017
Area: 300 sq km
Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve
Location: Sidhi District, Singrauli
No of Tigers: 6 in 2004
Area: 1450 sq km
Satpura Tiger Reserve
Location: Hoshangabad
No of Tigers: 65-70 in 2018
Area: 1340 sq km
Panna Tiger Reserve
Location: Panna
No of Tigers: more than 30 tigers after 2009
Area: 540 sq km.
How many National Parks and Wildlife sanctuaries are in Madhya Pradesh? There are NINE national parks, SIX tiger reserves, and TWENTY-FIVE wildlife sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh (MP). A complete list with a short description of these national parks and wildlife sanctuaries is bellowed. All the names of national parks in MP have to be remembered as general knowledge for your upcoming competitive examinations like IAS, UPSC, SSC, CGL, Banking, Railway Group D, etc.