Pench National Park, Location, History, Flora, Fauna, Facts

Pench National Park located in the Chhindwara and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh, derives its name from the Pench River, which flows from north to south, dividing the Pench Tiger Reserve into two equal halves. The park is popular for its rich biodiversity, providing home to a variety of wildlife, including tigers, leopards, wild gaurs, monkeys, and deer. It features dense forests with a mix of tropical moist deciduous and dry deciduous vegetation. The best time to visit the Pench National Park is from October to June, with peak tourism occurring between February and April.

Pench Tiger Reserve

Pench Tiger Reserve covers approximately 1,200 sq.km, which is named after the Pench River is home to diverse wildlife, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, Indian bison, and various deer species. Established in 1992 and included in Project Tiger in 1993, the park is divided into a strictly protected core area and a zone open to tourists. Pench is renowned for its high tiger population and has been featured in several documentaries, including the BBC’s Tiger: Spy in the Jungle. The reserve also promotes a rich cultural heritage, with ancient temples and historic forts within its boundaries.

Pench National Park History

Pench National Park was initially established as a sanctuary in 1977 and later converted to Pench National Park status in 1983. In 1992, it was upgraded to Pench Tiger Reserve, covering 758 square kilometers, which includes Pench National Park (292.85 sq. km) and Mowgli Pench Wildlife Sanctuary (118.30 sq. km).Other than this, a buffer zone of 346.73 square kilometers comprises Reserve Forests, Revenue Land, and Protected Forests. The park holds a historical significance, with its natural beauty and biodiversity documented in Ain-i-Akbari, written by Abu’l-Fazl during Emperor Akbar’s reign. Pench Tiger Reserve served as the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s famous book, The Jungle Book.

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Pench National Park Flora

Pench Tiger Reserve holds a diverse range of flora, majorly consisting of dry deciduous forests including tree species like teak, sal, tendu, mahua, and jamun. Other significant trees include bamboo, arjun, aonla, and custard apple. The Pench National Park is also home to various shrubs such as lantana, cassia, and thorny acacias. A rich diversity of herbs, including Indian gooseberry, harra, kachnar, and bel, can be found throughout the park. Also holds aquatic vegetation like water hyacinth, lotus, and water lilies. 

Pench National Park Fauna

Pench Tiger Reserve is home to a wide variety of fauna, making it a biodiversity ecosystem. Among mammals, the reserve is famous for its high population of tigers, alongside other species such as leopards, sloth bears, Indian bison, wild dogs, jungle cats, hyenas, jackals, and multiple deer species, including sambar, spotted deer, and barking deer. Indian giant squirrels, black-naped hares, langurs, and macaques also exist in the region. Reptiles such as cobras, kraits, rat snakes, pythons, crocodiles, monitor lizards, and various turtles exist in the park. Amphibians, including frogs, toads, and salamanders, can also be found in the reserve.

Pench Tiger Reserve Interesting Facts

1. Pench National Park spans an area of 758 sq km, with 299 sq km covered by Priyadarshini Pench National Park and Mowgli Pench Sanctuary, while the remaining 464 sq km serves as the buffer area. 
2. Pench Tiger Reserve is home to tigers, India's national animal; it was included under Project Tiger in 1992, an initiative by the Government of India aimed at tiger conservation. 
3. The park is primarily located in Madhya Pradesh, covering the Seoni and Chhindwara districts, it also extends into Maharashtra, with an additional 257 sq km accessible from Madhya Pradesh. 
4. Pench Tiger Reserve gained international recognition when the BBC chose it as the filming location for a documentary on tiger behavior, titled Spy in the Jungle, narrated by Sir David Attenborough in 2008. 
5. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling was inspired by Pench National Park. 
6. The park is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, making it a significant wildlife destination.