Emerald Panna

 "Panna is the most beautiful national park in the country and its landscape is as famous as its tigers" is what my guide whispered to me on my first safari, and that was eternally true!

Termed as the Emerald Forest, An Insight into the Panna Tiger Reserve is a live experience of witnessing animals residing in their natural habitat, stunning landscapes, and an unending list of flora and fauna, forest trails, and several wildlife species. Nestled in the Vindhya ranges, Panna Tiger Reserve comprises of mixed terrain including gorges and extensive plateaus. Spread in the expanse of 542.67 square kilometers this is the last tiger habitat in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh. 

Panna National Park is known for creating history in Tiger Conservation. The park lost all tigers to systematic poaching from 2006 to 2008. Subsequently, 3 tigers were relocated from other reserves to Panna in 2009. These tigers made Panna their home and today with the dedicated efforts of the Forest Department the population has reached 55 tigers (cubs included). The park is now home to Tigers, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Crocodiles, Gharials, and over 300 species of birds, Deer, and monkeys. 

Due to its closeness to one of the best known Indian Tourist attractions in India, Khajuraho, Panna National Park is slowly gaining popularity. One can also club Pandav Caves and Falls and Ajaygarh and Kalinjar Fort with the Tiger Reserve. 

The best time to visit the park is from October to June. The park remains closed in the monsoons. 
Panna is well connected to various major cities in Madhya Pradesh, making it easily accessible for visitors. Following are the different modes of transportation-
By Air - Nearest Airport - Khajuraho. You can hire a taxi to reach Panna National Park which is approximately 30kms away from the airport.
By train - Nearest railway station - Khajuraho.
By Road - it is well connected by road to major cities. 

There are also several good hotels - MPT - Madhya Pradesh tourism, Tendu leaf which provide excellent stays. 












Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Re-Union and Love!

Image
 Recently I witnessed a fascinating and dramatic scene in the wild. A drama unfolded in the heart of Kolsa - Tadoba, amidst the serene meadows and winding roads. It began with the majestic Kuwani - the reigning tigress of Kolsa sitting by the roadside in the early hours of our morning safari. We had just entered the park and within minutes we found her lounging in the tranquil grasslands, her eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.  Soon Kuwani rose from her resting spot and walked into the meadows. Her cub, which was a little inside in the grass ventured cautiously on the road. He was oblivious to the dangers that lurked around. Suddenly, a new figure emerged from the periphery - Hirdinala tigress - the matriarch of this lineage and Kuwani's own mother. her arrival was a mere coincidence, she had accidentally walked into the territory of Kuwani. Spotting her daughter's cub on the road, Hirdinala's instincts surged into action. With an unpleasant growl, Hirdinala cha
Read more

Jhalana Leopard Reserve - The Urban Forest

Image
 Imagine living in a crowded city of 4.3 million people and learning that amidst all of this human world, huge buildings and maddening crowd, lies a small, happy, peaceful forest where wild leopards rule. Urban dwellers who may have heard about leopards but rarely come across one would find this hard to believe.  There does exist a place such as this, right within Jaipur, the capital city of the state of Rajasthan in Western India. Extending over 7.7 square miles, the Jhalana Leopard Reserve is Home to flora and fauna of great variety. However its most famous denizens are its leopards. Over the years, the forest and the leopards and other biodiversity withstood the pressure of rapid urbanization and population growth, yet have been able to flourish here. To have a forest like that in one of the more populous cities is truly marvelous and a great story about conservation.  The revival of Jhalana's ecosystem health has also been a blessing for the resident and migratory birds. The av
Read more

Maya, The Vanished Enchantress.

Image
I have been visiting various parks and sanctuaries for almost 14 years now. And have observed different tigers in their natural habitats. I have realized that some tigers are destined to rule, dominate, and regal. Machali, the queen of Ranthambore, is a prime example. She was single-handedly responsible for bringing throngs of tourists and photographers. A similar story is of Maya – the queen of Tadoba. She is the one who has redefined the experience of sighting a wild tiger in Tadoba. Tourists, enthusiasts, and photographers regularly visited Tadoba just to get a glimpse of her. One would be extremely lucky to see her casually zig-zagging her way through safari rides.  She would gladly oblige her admirers with regular photo sessions oozing with her lazy grace. If we look at Maya’s biography and lineage, she is the daughter of Leela and Hilltop Male. The territory she controlled was left for her by her mother - Leela. The original Empress of Tadoba, Mahua Khadda tigress transferr
Read more