There is so much to explore when it comes to wildlife in India, hundreds of species of birds, thousands of insects, large cats and so much more. There are a number of great parks and wildlife sanctuaries to investigate. Here is a closer look at two of them, the Satpura National Park, and the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary.
Satpura National Park aka Satpura Tiger Reserve
At the STR or park which is found in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh in India you have an area of 524 squared km full of nature to explore. Its name comes from the nearby Satpura range of hills nearby. When you go here you have not just the Satpura National Park but also the Pachmarhi and Bori sanctuaries for wildlife adjoining the park that expands the area up to 2,200 squared km. It is not an especially old park, being about 40 years old but it offers a unique ecosystem and includes rugged terrain with dense forests, narrow gorges, sandstone peaks and ravines. You get an amazing mix of altitudes from 300 metres all the way up to 1,352 metres if you ascend the peak of Dhoopgarh.
The closest by rail is Pipariya and then the closest town is Pachmarhi. It is incredibly diverse in biodiversity. Flora you can enjoy include medicinal plants, grasses, sal, tendu, teak, emblica, bel, Phyllanthus, mahua. Some animals you might find include;
- Mouse deer
- Leopards
- Four-horned antelope
- Fox
- Peafowl
- Hornbirds
- Indian giant squirrel
- Sambar
- Blackbuck
- Bear
- Chital
- Nilgai
- Wild boar
- Tigers
- Barasingha
- Indian muntjac
- Dholes
- Indian gaur
Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
Kuno is a national park also found in Madhya Pradesh in India. It has an area of about 413 squared km and is also referred to as the Kuno-Palpur and Palpur-Kuno Wildlife sanctuary. It was named a national park in 2018 though it was established in 1981. In the nineties, it was part of the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project and recently also became part of the Cheetah reintroduction in India project. It is a protected area with vegetation that includes scrub and forest. Dominant trees include Tendu, Acacia catechu, Dhok, Salai, Palash, Zizphua xylopyrus and Acacia leucophloea. Shrub species include Vitex negundo, Grewia flavescens, Hopbush viscosa and Helicteres isora. Grasses include Senna tors, Heteropogon contortus, Themeda quadrivalvis, Artistida hystrix and Cenchrus ciliaris.
Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary is also home to many different species of animals. There is something for everyone to try to see and learn about.
Predators such as;
- Bengal fox
- Indian leopard
- Indian wolf
- Striped hyena
- Jungle cat
- Dhole
- Sloth bear
- Golden Jackal
Hoofed mammals such as;
- Blackbuck
- Chital
- Wild boar
- Four-horned antelope
- Sambar deer
- Chinkara
- Nilgai
- Zebu
Reptiles including;
- Gharial
- Mugger Crocodile
- Indian softshell turtle
- Bengal monitor
Birds including;
- Long-billed vulture
- Short-toed snake eagle
- Indian white-backed vulture
- Spotted owlet
- Egyptian vulture
- Bonelli’s eagle
- Brown fish owl
- Pied Harrier
- Short-eared owl
- Common crane
- Indian peafowl
- Indian nightjar
- Black-shouldered kite
- Painted sandgrouse
- Indian paradise flycatcher
- Painted spurfowl