India’s First Dark Sky Park

The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra is India's first Dark Sky Park.

India’s First Dark Sky Park

About India’s First Dark Sky Park

  • The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra is India’s first Dark Sky Park within a tiger reserve for earmarking areas around the park that restrict light pollution for stargazers to access pristine dark skies.
  • Dark Sky Place certification focuses on lighting policy, dark sky-friendly retrofits, outreach and education, and monitoring the night sky.
  • This designation positions PTR as a sanctuary where tourists can witness celestial spectacles, shielded from the intrusion of artificial light pollution.
  • PTR became the fifth such park in Asia. 
  • The certification was given by the International Dark-Sky Association, a global dark-sky movement to promote astronomy.

Key Facts about Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR)

  • Location: The Reserve is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and continues in Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary. 
  • It is named after the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the Reserve.
  • It comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary, and a buffer.
  • The area of the Pench Tiger Reserve and the surrounding area is the real story area of Rudyard Kipling’s famous “The Jungle Book”. 
  • Terrain: It is undulating, with most of the area covered by small hills and steep slopes on the sides. 
  • Vegetation: The undulating topography supports a mosaic of vegetation ranging from a moist sheltered valley to an open, dry deciduous forest.
  • Flora: The reserve boasts a diverse range of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
  • Fauna:
    • The area is especially famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
    • The key predator is the tiger, followed by leopard, wild dogs, and wolf.
    • There are over 325 species of resident and migratory birds, including the Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Osprey, Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, White-Eyed Buzzard, etc.

Q1) What is a Tiger Reserve?

A protected area statutorily designated for the conservation of the striped big cats is referred to as Tiger Reserve. However, a tiger reserve may also be a national park or wildlife sanctuary.

Source: Maharashtra Pench Tiger Reserve becomes India’s first Dark Sky Park. All you need to know

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