Recently, a tigress was discovered dead in the buffer zone of the renowned Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, hence, bringing the focus of the media spotlight on this globally recognized wildlife preserve.
Location and Size
Situated in the heartland of Madhya Pradesh, the Kanha Tiger Reserve spreads over 940 square km, covering parts of two districts, Mandla and Balaghat. This vast expanse makes it the largest national park in Central India.
A Historical Overview
Tracing its roots to the 20th century, the region that now comprises the Kanha National Park was initially split into two sanctuaries, namely Hallon and Banjar. In 1955, the area was accorded the status of a national park, and in 1973, it was designated as the Kanha Tiger Reserve.
Flora and Fauna
The Kanha Tiger Reserve is a dazzling hub of diverse animal and plant species. The fauna consists of several species including the State animal of Madhya Pradesh, the Hard Ground Barasingha (Swamp deer or Rucervus duvaucelii) which is exclusively found in this reserve. Moreover, a variety of other animals such as Tigers, Leopards, Dholes, Bears, Gaurs, and Indian Pythons can also be observed here.
The flora, on the other hand, offers a unique landscape rich with evergreen Sal forests (Shorea Robusta). The park also enjoys the distinction of being the first tiger reserve in India to introduce an official mascot, “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha.”
Other Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh
Apart from the Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh is home to several other tiger reserves including Sanjay-Dubri, Panna, Satpura, Bandhavgarh, and Pench.
Buffer and Core Zones
For effective conservation and management, tiger reserves like Kanha are divided into ‘core’ and ‘buffer’ zones. While the core areas are strictly oriented towards conservation and prohibit forestry operations, minor forest produce collection, grazing, human settlements or other biotic disturbances; the buffer zones adopt a conservation-oriented land use approach. These zones accommodate the overflow of wild animals from the core while also supporting eco-developmental inputs for the local communities.
The Barasingha Subspecies
The swamp deer or Barasingha, found in the Indian subcontinent is categorised into three subspecies: the western swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) native to Nepal, the Southern swamp deer/Hard Ground Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi) inhabiting central and northern India and the Eastern swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii ranjitsinhi) prevalent in Kaziranga (Assam) and Dudhwa National Parks (Uttar Pradesh).
Protection Status of Swamp Deer
The survival of the swamp deer species is at risk due to several threats imposing their existence. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes them as ‘Vulnerable’. Also, they are included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In India, the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 enlists them under Schedule I, thereby providing them with the highest degree of protection.
