Wildlife in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh, with its dense forests, flowing rivers, and high hills is a preferred spot for wildlife tourism in India, helping wildlife enthusiasts and researchers to observe animals and birds of the wild in their natural habitat. Also known as the 'Tiger State of India', Madhya Pradesh houses the majority of India's tigers. With a rich wildlife containing Bengal tigers, leopards, hyenas, foxes, wolves, and even endangered species of crocodiles, the state has become an increasingly popular tourist attraction. In addition to this, Madhya Pradesh is now home to the South African Cheetahs, relocated from the far country of Namibia at the Kuno National Park!

With national parks offering a chance to observe the wilderness through jungle safaris, opting for a wildlife tour has become quite feasible.

Aimed at preserving the flora and fauna of the region, Madhya Pradesh established several national parks that are spread across the state. These national parks not only conserve and protect wildlife and plants but are also a popular tourist attraction of the state where visitors can spot wild animals in their natural habitat. Providing a range of terrains, national parks in Madhya Pradesh offer a suitable environment for plants and animals to flourish. Kanha National Park, Pench National Park, Panna National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Kuno National Park, and Satpura National Park are the major national parks of Madhya Pradesh.

Approximately 70% of all tigers worldwide are found in India, home of the Bengal Tigers, with Madhya Pradesh housing a majority of them. According to a recent report published by the National Tiger Conservation Authority estimating the population of the big cat, Madhya Pradesh was found to have about 785 of the projected 3167 tigers. The state is home to Kanha National Park which was among the first nine tiger reserves of the country. With an abundance of their population, tigers can be spotted at the state's 7 national parks with the help of jungle safaris made available by the authorities.

With a good portion of its land being covered with forests, Madhya Pradesh finds itself as a major biodiversity hotspot in the country, housing a good population of wild animals, and birds. Madhya Pradesh has a total of 25 wildlife sanctuaries spread all over and are aimed at protecting animals like Bengal tigers, leopards, wild dogs, Barasingha, sloth bears, and different species of deer, antelopes, and crocodiles. Some of the wildlife sanctuaries that are popular among wildlife enthusiasts include the Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, and National Chambal Sanctuary.

With one-third of the state's land covered in dense forests, Madhya Pradesh has an abundance of flora that include a range of trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and numerous medicinal plants endemic to the state. Plenty of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves also aid to maintain the beautiful flora species of the state with the state's forests majorly falling into the categories of dry mixed deciduous forests, and moist mixed deciduous forests, giving rise to various types of plants. Some of the commonly found floras that can be seen throughout Madhya Pradesh include trees of Sal, Bamboo, Teak, Tendu, Mahua, and Axlewood.