News : A recently rescued two-year-old tiger was found dead in the buffer area of Madhya Pradesh's Panna Reserve.
Panna Tiger Reserve
Situated in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, the reserve is spread over the Panna and Chhatarpur districts.
It is the only tiger reserve in the entire Bundhelkhand region.
It falls in biogeographic zones of the Deccan Peninsula and the Biotic Province of the Central highlands.
Panna Tiger Reserve Landscape
- It is characterized by a ‘Table Top’ topography.
- The terrain here consists of extensive plateaus and gorges.
- Two plateaus run parallel to each other from southwest to northeasterly direction.
- River: Flowing from the south to the north through the reserve is the River Ken.
- The reserve is also dotted with two-thousand-year-old rock paintings.
- The region surrounding the reserve is home to various indigenous tribes, each with its distinct culture and traditions. The Baiga and Gond tribes are among the prominent ones.
Flora:
- The dominant vegetation type is dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.
- It forms the northernmost tip of the natural teak forests and the easternmost tip of the natural Anogeissus pendula (Kardhai) forests.
- The tree species Acacia catachu dominates the dry, steep slopes of the plateaus here.
Fauna:
- It supports a sizable population of Tiger, Sloth Bear, Leopard, and Striped Hyena.
- Other prominent carnivores are Jackal, Wolf, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, and Rusty Spotted Cat.
- It is also a haven for birdlife. Notable sightings include the white-necked stork, bar-headed goose, honey buzzard, blossom-headed parakeet, paradise flycatcher, slaty-headed scimitar babbler, and five species of vultures.