Madhya Pradesh: Forests and wildlife

Over 30% of Madhya Pradesh's total area is under forest, and MP Tourism calls the state the "green heart of India". A survey by the Forest Survey of India, as quoted by MP Tourism, puts the state's forest cover at 77482.49 sq km. The state has a network of tiger reserves and national parks, and its Forest Department traces scientific forest management back to 1860.

Forests

• The eastern districts of Balaghat, Mandla, Shahdol and Sidhi have dense forest cover.
• Trees found abundantly include Teak, Sal, Bamboo and Tendu.
• The Forest Department describes the forests as tropical dry deciduous teak, mixed and sal forests.
• Sal forests are found in Mandla, Dindori, Shahdol and Balaghat; the Chambal region (Gwalior, Shivpuri, Bhind, Datia) has kardhai and scrub forests; the rest has teak forests.
• Scientific management of forests began with the setting up of the Forest Department in 1860. The department says Madhya Pradesh is possibly the first state where working plans were begun, following India's first forest policy of 1894.
• A large share of tribal and other rural people living in and near forests depend on them.

Tiger reserves (with district)

• Kanha (Mandla/Balaghat): stretches over 940 sq km; its core was created in 1974 under Project Tiger, making it the first tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh. It is the first tiger reserve in India to introduce a mascot, Bhoorsingh the Barasingha. It has about 22 mammal and 200 bird species.
• Bandhavgarh (Umaria): known for the highest density of tiger population in India; over 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. The Sheesh Shaiya idol of Lord Vishnu lies on Bandhavgarh hill.
• Pench (Seoni): named after the Pench River; it has the highest density of herbivorous animals, a large gaur population and about 300 bird species. It is linked to Kipling's Jungle Book.
• Panna: lies where the continuity of Cape Comorin is broken and the Gangetic plains begin. In 2009 it was nearly devoid of tigers; tiger resettlement programmes repopulated it. Mugger crocodiles and gharial are seen along the Ken.
• Satpura (Hoshangabad): 52 species of mammals, 31 reptiles and 300 birds, of which 14 are endangered. Its sal and teak forests on the Pachmarhi plateau earn it the name Northern Extremity of Western Ghats.
• Sanjay-Dubri (Sidhi): Sanjay National Park and Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary together cover 831 km2; the reserve has 34 species of freshwater fish, 152 birds, 32 mammals, 11 reptiles and 3 amphibians. It shares its jungle with Guru Ghasidas National Park in Chhattisgarh.
• Ratapani, near Bhopal, is Madhya Pradesh's 8th and India's 57th tiger reserve, with over 40 tigers, some known as "City Tigers"; teak covers 55% of it.

White tiger Mohan

• Mohan, the white tiger, was captured on May 26, 1951 in what is now the Bastua range of Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Kept in captivity for almost two decades, he sired virtually all of the world's current white tigers.

Other national parks and sanctuaries

• Madhav National Park (Shivpuri): Sakhya Sagar and Madhav Sagar lakes support migratory birds such as geese, pochard, pintail and mallard; marsh crocodiles are found in good numbers.
• The Forest Department also lists Kuno National Park (Sheopur, 748.461 sq km), Fossil National Park (Dindori, 0.27 sq km), Dinosaur Fossil National Park (Dhar), Van Vihar National Park (Bhopal), and the Singhori and Veerangana Durgawati (Damoh) sanctuaries.

Heritage inside Ratapani

• Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, a UNESCO World Heritage site, lie within the reserve area; MP Tourism says it has more than 500 shelters with paintings.
• Kathotiya has over 100 shelters with paintings 17,000 years old in red, white and rare green dyes.
• Saru Maru Caves, near Pangoraria village, have Ashoka's Minor Rock Edict No. 1 and a record of his visit as viceroy.
• Ginnourgarh Fort, once part of the Gond kingdom, was taken over by Dost Mohammad of Bhopal State.