Kanha
National Park
The Kanha National Park, stretching over 940 sq km, the vegetation, chiefly
made of sal and bamboo forests, grasslands and streams, this park is the sole
habitat of the rare hardground barasingha.
The forests of the Banjar valley and Halon valley, respectively forming Kanha's
western and eastern halves, had even , at the turn of the century, been famous
for their deer and tiger population. By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National
Park came into being. Since then, a string of stringent conservation programmes
have been launched, for the overall protection of the park's fauna and flora.
It is one of the most well-maintained National Parks in Asia, and a major attraction
for avid wildlife buffs all over the world.
Kanha boasts of about 22 species of mammals. Some of the inhabitants of this
park are the gaur, the largest of the world's cattle; the sambar, the largest
Indian deer; and the chausingha, the only four-horned antelope in the world.
Other frequent visitors include the Nilgai antelope, the sloth bear, the dhole,
or Indian wild dog, and an occasional panther. Some 200 species of birds inhabit
the park, that include the cattle egret, black ibis, hawk eagle, and the red-wattled
lapwing. Shravantal is an old, earthenbound tank in the central Kanha meadows,
which happens to be an important watering hole, for a large number of water
fowl in winter. Bamni Dadar, known as Sunset Point, is the most beautiful section
of the park, and the view of the sunset from this spot is absolutely mesmerising.
Quite a few animals can be sighted around this area which include the sambar,
gaur, the four-horned antelope and the barking deer.
Blackbuck:
The barasingha is undoubtedly, the jewel of Kanha, and drastic steps have been
taken to rescue it from complete extinction. The enlargement of the grasslands,
through village reallocation, has been responsible for this impressive achievement.
Barasinghas exist almost totally on grass, and tall grass meadows are essential
for their security. At the height of winter, between December and January, falls
the rutting season of these animals, and huge groups can be easily spotted in
the Kanha and Sonph meadows. A small, but significant number of blackbucks also
inhabit the central Kanha meadow.
But for all the astonishing diversity in its wildlife population, Kanha is best
known as the habitat of the tiger. Sighting and photographing this magnificent
animal from elephant back, is an unforgettable experience. It was here that
the first ever scientific study of the tiger was undertaken by the great zoologist
George Schaller.
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