About Panna Tiger Reserve:
- Situated in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, the reserve is spread over the Panna and Chhatarpur districts.
- It is the only tiger reserve in the entire Bundhelkhand region.
- It falls in biogeographic zones of the Deccan Peninsula and the Biotic Province of the Central highlands.
- Landscape:
- It is characterized by a ‘Table Top’ topography.
- The terrain here consists of extensive plateaus and gorges.
- Two plateaus run parallel to each other from southwest to northeasterly direction.
- River: Flowing from the south to the north through the reserve is the River Ken.
- The reserve is also dotted with two-thousand-year-old rock paintings.
- The region surrounding the reserve is home to various indigenous tribes, each with its distinct culture and traditions. The Baiga and Gond tribes are among the prominent ones.
- Flora:
- The dominant vegetation type is dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.
- It forms the northernmost tip of the natural teak forests and the easternmost tip of the natural Anogeissus pendula (Kardhai) forests.
- The tree species Acacia catachu dominates the dry, steep slopes of the plateaus here.
- Fauna:
- It supports a sizable population of Tiger, Sloth Bear, Leopard, and Striped Hyena.
- Other prominent carnivores are Jackal, Wolf, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, and Rusty Spotted Cat.
- It is also a haven for birdlife. Notable sightings include the white-necked stork, bar-headed goose, honey buzzard, blossom-headed parakeet, paradise flycatcher, slaty-headed scimitar babbler, and five species of vultures.
