Declared a National Park in 1955, the hauntingly beautiful wilderness of Kanha is said to be the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, and is popularly referred to as 'Kipling's Country'. This lush wildlife reserve which abounds in meadows, Kanha's wilderness unfolds across 940 sq km of grasslands and forests that are nestled in the Banjar and Halon valleys of the Maikal range in the eastern part of Satpura hills. The total park area comprises 1,945 sq km and is prime tiger country as well as home to many other rare animal and bird species.
Apart from the elusive tiger, one can spot the endangered swamp deer or the barasingha as it is more commonly called, at the Sonf meadows here. Today, Kanha is the only park in central India where the barasingha is found. Usually solitary, the male and female barasingha only come together as a herd during the mating season between December and January. Also Visit - Madhya Pradesh Tour Packages
At the appropriately named 'Bison Road, gaur or Indian bison, the largest buffalo in the world, along with the elusive chausingha or four-horned antelope are often spotted. Other common deer/four-horned antelope species in the Park are spotted deer, sambhar and barking deer. The lucky may spot a pack of dhole, the Asiatic wild dog.
Most species on a naturalist's list are to be found in Kanha. The wildlife at Kanha, Madhya Pradesh is well spread out, but to capitalise on rare sightings, make trips to Bamnhi Dadar, Bishanpura, Sondhar, Ghorella and the central Kanha Meadow.
Kanha also has a checklist of 350 varieties of birdlife, including the greater racket-tailed drongo, the black-rumped flameback, iora, the black-hooded oriole, the orange-headed thrush, and the puff-throated babbler. Rare sightings of the lesser florican have also been reported. Apart from these, Kanha has 28 species of reptiles.
Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh is spread over Mandla and Balaghat districts close to the inter-state border with Chattisgarh. Cities like Jabalpur, Nagpur and Raipur are considered best gateway cities to Kanha National Park. The Tiger Reserve covers a total area of 1,949 sq km, comprising the core zone (National Park) of 940 sq km and buffer zone (multiple use area) of 1,009 sq km.
The park has a picturesque topography with huge plateaus, meadows and valleys. It is rich in floral diversity, and has over 600 species of flowering plants, 50 species of aquatic plants and 18 species of rare plants. The Banjar and Halton are major rivers of Kanha. Considered one of the richest and most well-managed National Parks in Asia, kanha continues to sway the imaginations of visitors.
For more information on Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh contact Swan Tours one of the leading travel agents in India.