The recent recapture and release of a female tiger cub into the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has put the spotlight back on India’s critical conservation efforts. This news is particularly significant because the cub is the offspring of the infamous ‘man-eater’ tigress Avni.
About the Pench Tiger Reserve
Nestled in the Nagpur District of Maharashtra, the PTR gets its name from the shimmering Pench River that meanders through the heart of the park. The river’s southward descent effectively splits the park into two halves – the eastern and western sections.
Both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra proudly lay claim to the PTR. It spans across the southern Satpura hills, through Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh, and further into Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate sanctuary.
In 1975, the Government of Maharashtra declared PTR a National Park, and it was identified as a tiger reserve in 1998-1999. The Madhya Pradesh section received its status as a tiger reserve earlier, in 1992-1993.
PTR is one of the key protected regions within the Satpura-Maikal ranges of the Central Highlands. It also falls under the Important Bird Areas (IBA) of India, an initiative by Birdlife International aimed at identifying, monitoring, and protecting a network of critical sites for bird conservation globally.
The rich flora of PTR
PTR boasts a dense green cover of Southern dry broadleaf teak forests and tropical mixed deciduous forests throughout the reserve. Its terrain is sprinkled with an abundance of shrubs, climbers, and trees. Some of these plant species are unique and known for their medicinal properties. In addition, bamboo plantations thrive alongside the water banks.
Mammals and Birds inhabiting PTR
A diverse range of mammals call PTR their home, including the sloth bear, jackal, nilgai, and wild dog. The reserve is also a haven for an array of birds such as peafowl, magpie robin, pintail, drongo, unia, and myna.
Major Tiger Reserves of India
PTR is among the major tiger reserves in the country working towards protecting India’s national animal. Many significant efforts towards conservation are made by these reserves to safeguard the biodiversity of the country. The recent event involving the successful capture and rehabilitation of the cub of tigress Avni emphasizes the importance of these sanctuaries in preserving India’s rich wildlife.
