Nestled in the eastern part of the Satpura mountain range, Kanha is not just a place to visit. It is to be lived, felt and enjoyed. It is the land of George Schaller’s ‘The Deer and The Tiger.’
Kanha is spectacular no matter when you visit it. Driving on tracks lined by tall Sal trees, the scene in front of your eyes occasionally changes into open meadows, bamboo-clad slopes or of dense mixed forest. A few bubbly water holes and seasonal streams give the landscape a pictorial quality.
And by far the biggest thrill? The tiger can be anywhere for you to safely view it – walking boldly on the main track, stalking a deer in the meadow or stealthily walking through a dry stream bed.
Within an area of 940 sq km of core forest and 1009 sq km of buffer forest around it, Kanha has an estimated population of 50-60 adult tigers. This is a healthy number since each tiger occupies quite a large territory. The tiger in Kanha co-exists with two other large predators- the leopard and the wild dogs which are an absolute treat to watch if sighted.
25% of the core area is open to tourists. This gives us a lot to view and explore. The tourism area consists of 4 major zones called Kanha, Kisli, Mukki and Sarhi. On a typical day, you’d go out on a safari at sunrise with a picnic breakfast, come back to the lodge for lunch and a rest.
The success story of the Barasingha is worth boasting about. The Barasingha (the 12-tined deer) or the swamp deer found in Kanha is of the “hard ground” subspecies and the only surviving population in the world. The numbers of this now-rare species had dropped to a mere 60 in the 1970s. They now stand at 500-strong. Every aspect of this highly recommended park welcomes guests aboard for an excellent wilderness experience.
It will not be wrong to say that Kanha National Park has won a noble prize. Afterall, it inspired Rudyard Kipling to pen down Junglebook which paved way to for noble prize in literature. The experts have predicted, that if ever Tiger faces extinction, Kanha will be amongst the last strong foothold of Tigers. What is it about Kanha that makes it a perfect place for Tigers? To begin with evergreen forest, lot of undergrowth that provides ambush. The rolling grasslands and meandering streams provide food for herbivores. If the prey has food, they stay put, and the predators follow. This 940 sq km of paradise is home to many Tigers, Leopards, Indian Gaur, Deers, Monkeys, Dholes, Jackals, voer 300 species of birds.
About the Park
Kanha’s sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic Deer, Kanha National Park natural splendour. This is original Kipling country, of which he wrote so vividly in his Jungle Book. The same abundance of wildlife species exists today in Kanha National Park, which forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare hardground barasingha (Cervus Duvaceli Branderi).
By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation programmers for the protection of the park’s flora and fauna has given Kanha its deserved reputation for being one of the finest and best administered National Parks in Asia, an irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers and a true haven for its animal and avian population.
Best Season:
February to June, although the cool season is much more comfortable and still very good for wildlife. (The park is closed from July 1 to October 31 because of the monsoon). For those planning a visit, a stay of at least three nights is recommended in order to have a good chance of seeing the more elusive animals – although, of course, a brief visit will also be very interesting.
What to Wear
Cottons, but bring woollens as well, as early mornings and evenings can be chilly, especially in a moving jeep and in the cool season. Try not to wear loud colours.
Food
Kisli has a restaurant and a canteen. The restaurant serves both Indian and western food. The canteen is cheaper, serving reasonably-priced table d’ hote meals and snacks. The Kanha Safari Lodge at Mukki is served by a multi-cuisine restaurant.
Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species, and in the grassy forest clearings.
Water birds can be seen near the park’s many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the area in front of the museum.
The sal forests do not normally yield a sight of Kanha’s avifauna. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for birdwatching; binoculars are an invaluable aid to the watcher.
Flora & Fauna
Mammalian Species: Kanha has some 22 species of mammals. Those most easily spotted are the striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pig, chital or spotted deer, barasingha or swamp deer, sambar and blackbuck.
Less commonly seen species are: Tiger, Indian hare, dhole or Indian wild dog, barking deer and Indian bison or gaur. Patient watching should reward the visitor with a sight of Indian fox, sloth bear, striped hyena, jungle cat, leopard, Mouse deer, chausingha or four-horned antelope, nilgai, ratel and porcupine.
Very rarely seen are: Wolf, which lives in the far east of the park; chinkara, to be found outside the park’s northern boundary; Indian pangolin, the smooth Indian otter and the small Indian civet.
Avian Species: Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species, and in the grassy forest clearings.
Water birds can be seen near the park’s many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the area in front of the museum.
The sal forests do not normally yield a sight of Kanha’s avifauna. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for birdwatching; binoculars are an invaluable aid to the watcher.
Commonly seen species include cattle egret, pond heron, black ibis, common peafowl, crested serpent, racket tailed drongo, hawk eagle and red-wattled lapwing; various species of flycatcher, woodpecker, pigeon, dove, parakeet, babbler and mynah; Indian roller, white-breasted kingfisher and grey hornbill. Jeep and Elephant Hire.
MPSTDC jeeps are available on hire for touring the park. Elephants are used for tiger-tracking and should a tiger be located; the elephant can take visitors to the site. For jeep hire, see the MPSTDC Manager, at the Baghira Log Huts,Peacock, Kanha National Park Kisli and Kanha Safari Lodge, Mukki. Bookings for a morning run should be made the previous day., Please bear in mind that jeeps are not always available during peak visiting periods.
Area: 2051 sq. km- Core 940 sq. km 1134 sq. km of buffer forest
Co-ordinates: Latitude: 22° 7′ to 22° 27’N; longitude: 80° 26′ to 81° 3’E.
Park Opens: From 1st Oct to 30th June
Weekly Off: Wednesday afternoon
Full Day Off: Holi, Diwali
Closest Airports: Jabalpur (200 km), Nagpur (275 km) and Raipur (220 km)
Closest Railheads: Gondia (135 km), Jabalpur (200 km), Nagpur (275 km), Raipur (210 km) and Bilaspur (200 km).
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