Posted by Sharad on 22nd June, 2016.
The largest National Park in Central India, Kanha Tiger Reserveis occupied by the Hallon and the Banjar sanctuaries. The National Park was formed on the first of June, 1955 and it was declared to be a Tiger Reserve in 1973. It was one of the best places to catch sightings of the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Indian leopard and the Indian wild dog. The beautiful greenlands are also famous for more than just being a spectacular wildlife sanctuary. They boast of having been Rudyard Kipling’s inspiration for the children’s masterpiece, The Jungle Book.
The Gond dynasty had been ruling the area for many years before the 19th century: they had their own methods of cultivation, and they had in-depth knowledge of wildlife behavior. In 1879, the area of Kanha was declared to be a reserve forest and in 1923, a book titled “Wild Animals in Central India” was published. This classic, written by A.A.Dunbar Brander was completely based on the wild animals in Kanha. In the year 1933, the area was declared a sanctuary, yet hunting was regularly taking place here.
image: Wild Animals in Central India
After the zone became a National Park, more attention was centered on it. Stanley Breeden and Belinda Wright filmed the National Geographic film ‘Land of the Tigers’ here in 1980. The next year, Project Tiger was attempted in Ranthambhore and Kanha successfully. There was a dramatic rise in the footfall subsequently.
Dense forests co-exist with grassy meadows throughout the 940-square kilometer stretch of the grounds. Over 1000 kinds of plants and a diverse range of trees can be spotted, whilst the grass you step on during your awesome jungle also belong to different species. Clear streams zigzagging their ways around the forest add to the beauty of the landscape.
image: India:Land of the Tiger
Apart from its tigers, the hard ground barasingha is one of the most famous occupants of the National Park. A special enclosure was made in 1970 to prevent them from wild beasts and to encourage more breeding. Consequently, the number increased from 66 to around 500. Sundry efforts to improve the forest’s wildlife have yielded results, as have the attempts to give visitors a better experience of the park.
Every season has its own unique look in Kanha, and summers are not as tough to survive as is imagined. There is the onset of cool winds during this season, but it is normally dry. Sporadic rainfall also helps. Monsoon is also a rush of vibrance – the dryness of the summer months becomes a lush green. Butterflies and other insects swarm all over, and there is an abundance of water in the streams. Winter is undoubtedly the most pleasant season to visit Kanha. The air is chilly, and the trees are at their best colour.
Whichever the season, a trip to Kanha is a must to understand and appreciate the richness of Indian flora and fauna. As the increasing footfall speaks about greater interest in forest tours than every before, Kanha is all set to becoming a feather in the hat of wildlife tourism.