Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh

Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh

Bori Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary located in Narmadapuram District of Madhya Pradesh in Central India. It is situated in the northern foothills of the Satpura Range and is part of the Satpura tiger reserve. The sanctuary derives its name from the Bori River. It has the distinction of being the first forest reserve declared in India.

History

The wildlife sanctuary was established in 1977. This sanctuary includes the one of the oldest forest reserves of India called Bori Reserve Forest. This reserve forest was established in 1865 CE along the Tawa River.

The Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary covers an area of about 646 sq kms (249 sq mi). It is situated in the northern foothills of the Satpura Range. It is bounded by the Satpura National Park to the north and east, and by the Tawa River to the west. The sanctuary, together with Satpura National Park and the Pachmarhi Sanctuary, forms the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve. This sanctuary is part of Satpura tiger reserve. Several streams and rivulets of the Bori and Sonbhadra rivers provide water inside the sanctuary.

The terrain varies from steep slopes in the east to plain or undulating land in the west. This sanctuary was selected for the famous project of Barasingha relocation in which Madhya Pradesh Forest department is trying to make new homes for hard-ground Barasingha, apart from Kanha national park. The best time to visit this sanctuary is during the months of October to June.

Flora:

The sanctuary is mostly covered in mixed dry tropical deciduous and bamboo forests, part of the Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests ecoregion. It is an important transition zone between the forests of western and eastern India. The dominant trees species in this sanctuary are teak, dhaora, tendu, axel wood, bael, kadam, rosewood tree, temburini, java plum, etc. The reserve has over 1300 species of plants including several medicinal plants and rare mosses along with some water fern species. This sanctuary lies in the teak and sal transition zone.

Fauna:

There are about 25 species of mammals found in this sanctuary. The mammals found in the sanctuary are tiger, leopard, jackal, striped hyena, Indian wild dog, chausingha, wild boar, muntjac deer, nilgai, chevrotain, chinkara, gaur, chital deer, sambar, flying squirrel, tree shrew, common mongoose, Indian palm civet, small Indian civet, jungle cat, Bengal fox, Indian porcupine, and rhesus macaques. There are about more than 230 species of birds found in this sanctuary. Some of the birds found in the sanctuary are Malabar Pied Hornbill, Gyps, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Grey Gallus, Red Gallus, and Indian Scimitar Babbler.

Connectivity

Churna Gate is the entry point for this sanctuary. Churna Gate is located at about 17 Kms from Bhoura, 17 Kms from Dhodramohar Railway Station, 59 Kms from Itarsi Junction Railway Station, 59 Kms from Itarsi, 61 Kms from Betul, 76 Kms from Narmadapuram, 95 Kms from Pachmarhi, and 160 Kms from Bhopal Airport. Churna Gate is situated at about 17 Kms to the north east of Bhoura on Narmadapuram to Betul route.

Location