Pench Tiger Reserve – The Tiger Reserve

Pench Tiger Reserve – The Tiger Reserve

The tiger reserve spreads across the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. On the Madhya Pradesh side, the Pench Tiger Reserve encompasses a core area of 411.33 km2, with a buffer area of 768.3 km2., making for a total protected area of 1179.63 km2.The core area includes the Mowgli Pench Wildlife Sanctuary whose area is 118.30 km2. On the Maharashtra side, the Pench Tiger Reserve encompasses a core area of 257.3 km2 along with a buffer area of 483.96 km2 of the Mansinghdeo Sanctuary, making for a total protected area 741.2 km2.

The total protected area of the tiger reserve covers an area of about 1920 km2. The reserve in Madhya Pradesh is nestled in the southern slopes of the Satpura range of Central India. The general topography of the reserve is mostly undulating, characterized by small ridges and hills having steep slopes, with a number of seasonal streams and nullahs carving the terrain into many folds and furrows, a result of the folding and upheavals of the past. The topography becomes flatter close to the Pench River. The elevation ranges from 425 to 620 m (1,394 to 2,034 ft).

The geology of the area is mainly gneisses and basalt. This tiger reserve derives its name from the Pench River that flows 74 kms through the park from north to south. The Pench River bisects the original Pench core reserve into two nearly equal parts; the 147.61 km² of the Western Block which falls in the Gumtara Range of the Chhindwara district Forest Division and the 145.24 km² of the Eastern Block in the Karmajhiri Range of the Seoni district Forest Division.

The adjoining forests to the west and north-west of the Tiger Reserve come under the East Chhindwara and South Chhindwara Territorial Forest Divisions respectively. The Forest tract to the north and northeast of the reserve comes under the South Seoni Territorial Forest Division. Administratively, the tiger reserve is divided into three forest ranges namely Karmajhiri, Gumtara, and Kurai and nine Forest Circles namely Alikatta, Dudhgaon, Gumtara, Kamreet, Karmajhiri, Kurai, Murer, Rukhad, and Pulpuldoh, 42 Forest Beats, and 162 Forest Compartments.

The Meghdoot dam built across Pench River at Totladoh has created a large water body of 72 km2 out of which 54 km2 falls in Madhya Pradesh and the rest in the adjoining state of Maharashtra. The Pench River which emerges from Mahadeo Hills of Satpuda Ranges and the various nallas and streams which drain into it, all flow through the forests of the protected area. The Satpuda ranges which bear the forests of the Protected Area act as an excellent watershed area for the Totladoh as well as lower Pench Reservoirs. The other rivers flowing the reserve are Johila, Janadh, Charanganga, Damnar, Banbei, Ambanala and Andhiyari Jhiria.

Flora:

The reserve belongs to the Indo-Malayan phytogeographical region. The reserve is home to over 1200 species of plants. The reserve comprises of South Indian Tropical Moist Deciduous forests, Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Teak Forests and Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests. The mixed dry deciduous forests occupy over one third of the area. The major species are Anogeissus latifolia, Boswellia serrata, Buchnania lanzan, Lannea coromandelica, Terminalia tomentosa, Diospyros melanoxylon, Tectona grandis etc.

The riparian areas along the banks of streams have Terminalia arjuna, Syzygium cumini, Ficus glomarata, Ixora parviflora and Terminalia tomentosa. The open forests near abandoned villages have Madhuca indica, Butea monosperma, Ziziphus mauritiana, etc. Teak (Tectona grandis) forests dominate about a quarter of the tiger reserve. Much of the area even under teak forests supports good grass cover. Bamboo is overlapping with teak and miscellaneous species in some areas. Cleistanthus collinus dominant patches are also found in some parts of the reserve.

Fauna:

The mammals found in the reserve are Bengal tiger, chital, sambar, hare, chinkara, nilgai, wild boar, fox, golden jackal, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, dhole, porcupine, gray langur, palm civet, small Indian civet, common mongoose, ruddy mongoose, ratel, rhesus monkey, jungle cat, striped hyena, gaur, four-horned antelope, and barking deer. The reptiles found in the reserve are mugger crocodiles, pythons, cobras, Indian star tortoise, and several species of lizards. The reserve is home to around 50 species of fishes, 13 species of amphibians, 37 species of reptiles, 105 species of butterflies, 100 species of Moths, 20 species of spiders, 35 species of dragon and damsel fly & numerous other insects.

Avifauna:

The reserve is home to over 325 species of resident and migratory birds. Some of the birds found in this reserve are Malabar pied hornbill, Indian pitta, osprey, grey-headed fishing eagle, white eyed buzzard, brahminy duck, pintail duck, bareheaded geese, coots, pochards, wigeon, gadwall, mallard, Indian peafowl, junglefowl, Indian vulture, crow pheasant, crimson-breasted barbet, red-vented bulbul, Indian grey hornbill, racket-tailed drongo, crested serpent eagle, Nisaetus cirrhatus, Black-rumped flame back, Indian scops owl, treepies, spotted dove, Indian roller, magpie robin, lesser whistling teal, pintail, shoveller, egret, herons, minivet, Indian Black Ibis, oriole, wagtail, munia, myna, waterfowl and common kingfisher.