Flora and fauna of Madhya Pradesh
Encyclopedia
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

is often called the Heart of India, is a state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...

 in central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. Its capital is Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh was originally the largest state in India until November 1, 2000 when the state of Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....

 was carved out. It borders the states Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

, Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....

, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...

, Gujarat and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

.

Forest statistics

Madhya Pradesh is endowed with rich and diverse forest resources. Lying between lat. 21°04'N and long. 74°02' and 82°49' E, it is a reservoir of biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...

. The geographical area of the state is 308,144 km² which constitutes 9.38% of the land area of the country. The forest area of the state is 95,221 km² constituting 31% of the geographical area of the state and 12.44% of the forest area of the country. Legally this area has been classified into "Reserved Forest, Protected Forest and Unclassified Forest", which constitute 61.7%, 37.4% and 0.9% of the forest area respectively. Per capita forest area is 2,400 m² as against the national average of 700 m²

As per the latest estimates of Forest Survey of India, published in the State of Forest Report (SFR) 2003, suggest that the total forest cover of M.P. is 76,429 km2., which is 24.79% of the land area - dense forest constituting 13.57% and open forest 11.22%.

One third of the state is forested and offers a unique and exciting panorama of wildlife. In the National Parks of Kanha
Kanha
Kanha or Kanhapad was one of the poets of Charjapad, the earliest known example of bangla literature. He was a tantric buddhist and his poems in Charjapad are written in a code, whereby every poem has a descriptive or narrative surface meaning but also encodes tantric buddhist teachings...

, Bandhavgarh, Shivpuri
Shivpuri
Shivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of above sea level.-History:Shivpuri is an ancient...

 and many others one has the rare opportunity to see the tiger, the bison and a wide variety of deer and antelope in sylvan surroundings. Nine National Parks and Twenty Five Wildlife Sanctuaries are attractive destinations on tourist map.

Forest composition

Central, eastern and southern parts of the state are rich, whereas northern and western parts are deficient in forest.
Variability in climatic and edaphic
Edaphic
Edaphic is a nature related to soil. Edaphic qualities may characterize the soil itself, including drainage, texture, or chemical properties such as pH. Edaphic may also characterize organisms, such as plant communities, where it specifies their relationships with soil...

 conditions brings about significant difference in the forest types of the state. There are four important forest types viz. Tropical Moist, Tropical Dry, Tropical Thorn , Subtropical broadleaved Hill forests.
The forest area can also be classified based on the composition of forest and terrain of the area. Based on composition, there are three important forest formations namely Teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...

 forest , Sal forest and Miscellaneous Forests. Bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

 bearing areas are widely distributed in the state. To obviate pressure on the natural forests , plantations have been undertaken in forest and non forest areas to supplement the availability of fuel wood , small timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...

 , fodder
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...

 etc. MP lost a good amount of forest recently when Chattisgarh was carved out of it, as that region was the richest reserve of forests in MP.

Teak - Tectona grandis (Common Teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...

) is by far the most important timber species, with a wide distribution in Madhya Pradesh. It is found in following districts, namely Inore, Khandwa, Harda, Dewas, Sehore, Bhopal, Raisen, Vidisha,
Betul, Hoshangaba, Chhindwara, Seoni, Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori, Shahdol, Umaria,Jabalpur, Damoh, Panna, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Satna, Rewa and Sidhi.

Sal - Sal or Sakhu (Shorea robusta) is another important timber species in Madhya Pradesh. It is a large evergreen tree belonging to the family dipterocarpaceae. Sal forests of Madhya Pradesh are ecologically very important as they mark the termination of the great Sal zone of the Central Indian Peninsula. Sal forests are located in the eastern part of the state while teak forests are localised in the western part. In between, there is a transition belt of mixed miscellaneous forests. There are also areas where Teak and Sal both species occur naturally mixed together forming unique ecosystem. Sal forests occupy an area of 7244 km², which is about 7.6 % of the total forest area of the state. The Sal forests are confined to the eastern part of the state in the districts Rewa, Sidhi, Umaria, Anuppur and southwards in districts Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori, and Jabalpur and occupy all ranges of Maikal and the highlands of Balaghat. Sal forests are also distributed in and around Pachmarhi in Hoshangabad and Chhindwara districts.

Mixed forests - The maximum forest cover in the state is that of mixed forests, which includes Teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...

 (Tectona grandis) or Sal (Shorea robusta) mixed with other species like saja (Terminalia tomentosa), bija (Pterocarpus marsupium), lendia (Lagerstroemia parviflora), haldu (Adina cardifolia), dhaora (Anogeissus latifolia
Anogeissus latifolia
Anogeissus latifolia is a species of small to medium-sized tree native to the India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Its common names are axlewood , bakli, dhau, dhawa, dhawra, or dhaora , takhian-nu , and raam .It is one of the most useful trees in India...

), salai (Boswellia serrata
Boswellia serrata
Boswellia serrata is Indian frankincense or Salai. It is found in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh & Andhara Pradesh in India.- Medical usage :...

), aonla
Aonla
Aonla may mean:*Indian gooseberry is a deciduous tree of the Phyllanthaceae family*Aonla, Uttar Pradesh - a place in Uttar Pradesh, India*Aonla Aonla was a capital of Rohilkand...

 (Emblica officinalis), amaltas (Cassia fistula), gamhar (Gmelina arborea
Gmelina arborea
Gmelina arborea, , locally known as Gamhar, is a fast growing deciduous tree, occurring naturally throughout greater part of India at altitudes up to 1500 meters...

 etc. Dazzling white kulu (Sterculia urens) trees scattehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sandboxred around stand out conspicuously among the various hues of green. The ground is covered with maze of grasses, plants, bushes and saplings.Pterocarpus marsupium is also used for control of blood sugar in Diabetes since ancient times in India.

Bamboo - Bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

 is also found at places in Madhya Pradesh forests. Normally Dendrocalamus strictus is the main bamboo species found overlapping with other species. It is distributed over Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara, Betul, Mandla and Shahdol districts.

Khair - Khair
Khair
Khair is a city and a municipal board in Aligarh district in the Indian state....

 (Acacia catechu
Acacia catechu
Acacia catechu also commonly called Mimosa catechu, is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height. The plant is called khair in Hindi, and kachu in Malay, hence the name was Latinized to "catechu" in Linnaean taxonomy, as the type-species from which the extracts cutch and catechu are...

) trees are found in Jabalpur, Sagar, Damoh, Umaria, Hoshangabad, Guna, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Morena, Gwalior etc. Khar trees are used as a raw material for preparation of catechu or kattha.

NWFP - There are many important Non wood forest Products (NWFP) found in the forests e.g. Tendu leaves or Bidi leaves (Diospyros melonoxylon), Sal Seed (Shorea robusta), Chebulic Myrobolan or Harra (Terminalia chebula
Terminalia chebula
Terminalia chebula is a species of Terminalia, native to southern Asia from India and Nepal east to southwestern China , and south to Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Vietnam.It is a deciduous tree growing to tall, with a trunk up to in diameter...

), Gum, Chironji (Buchanania lanzan), flower and seeds of Mahua (Madhuca indica) and flowers, seeds, bark & roots of various plant species. Tendu leaves, Sal seed and Gums are nationalised forest produce in Madhya Pradesh whereas the other NWFP are non-nationalised.These non-nationalised NWFP can be collected and traded freely. The collection and trade of nationalised forest produce is regulated by the state.

Medicinal plants - Medicinal trees and plants of various kind are found in abundance in the forests of Madhya Pradesh. Important ones are: Aegle marmelos, Azadirachta indica, Bixa orellana, Butea monosperma
Butea monosperma
Butea monosperma is a species of Butea native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and western Indonesia...

, Asparagus racemosus
Asparagus racemosus
Asparagus racemosus is a species of asparagus common throughout India and the Himalayas. It grows one to two metres tall and prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils high up in piedmont plains, at 1,300 - 1,400 metres elevation)...

, Argemone mexicana
Argemone mexicana
Argemone mexicana is a species of poppy found in Mexico and now widely naturalized in the United States, India and Ethiopia...

,Buchanania lanzan, Aloe barbadensis, Acorus calamus, Cassia tora, Curculigo orchiodes, Curcuma longa, Embelia ribes
Embelia ribes
Embelia ribes, commonly known as False Black Pepper or White-flowered Embelia, is a species in the Myrsinaceae. It was originally described by Nicolaas Laurens Burman in his 1768 publication, Flora Indica....

, Clitoria ternatea
Clitoria ternatea
Clitoria ternatea is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family.- Distribution :This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and America....

, Mangifera indica
Mangifera indica
Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world...

, Cassia fistula, Evolvulus alsinoides, Commiphora mukul, Helicteres isora, Holorrhaena antidysenterica, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Woodfordia fruticosa
Woodfordia fruticosa
Woodfordia fruticosa is a species of plant in the Lythraceae family. It is endemic to India.-References:* CAMP Workshops on Medicinal Plants, India 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....

,. Dioscorea spp, Plumbago zeylaniea, Terminalia bellirica, Tamarindus indica, Mucuna pruriens
Mucuna pruriens
Mucuna pruriens is a tropical legume known as velvet bean or cowitch and by other common names , found in Africa, India and the Caribbean. The plant is infamous for its extreme itchiness produced on contact, particularly with the young foliage and the seed pods...

, Pongamia pinnata
Pongamia pinnata
Milletia pinnata is a species of tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, native in tropical and temperate Asia including parts of India, China, Japan, Malesia, Australia and Pacific islands. It is often known by the synonym Pongamia pinnata as it was moved to the genus Millettia only recently...

, Terminalia bellirica, Psoralea corylifolia
Psoralea corylifolia
Psoralea corylifolia is an important plant in the Indian Ayurveda and Tamil Siddha systems of medicine, and also Chinese medicine. The seeds of this plant contain a variety of coumarins including psoralen. The seeds have a variety of medicinal uses, but the specific role of psoralen in these uses...

, Phyllanthus embilica, Ocimum americanum
Ocimum americanum
Ocimum americanum, known as lime, hairy or "hoary basil", is an annual herb with white or lavender flowers. It is used for medicinal purposes....

, Rauvolfia serpentina, Tinospora Cardifolio, Withania somnifera, Swertia chirayita, Tribulus terrestres, Chlorophytum tuberosum
Chlorophytum tuberosum
Chlorophytum tuberosum is a species of flowering plant, one of several species known by the common name musli. It is native to parts of Africa and India. It has historical uses in Ayurveda.-External links:**...

, Cyprus Rotundus.

Forest growing stock

The total growing stock (volume of timber / wood) is 50,000,000 m³ valued worth Rs 2.5 lakh Crores.

Natural areas

Madhya Pradesh is home to several National Parks
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...

, including Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the popular national parks in India located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 with an area of 105 km². The buffer is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni and totals 437 km²...

, Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. In the 1930s, Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and Banjar, of 250 and 300 km² . Kanha National Park was created on 1 June, 1955. Today it stretches over an...

, Satpura National Park
Satpura National Park
Satpura National Park is located in district Hoshangabad of Madhya Pradesh in India. It gets the name from Satpura hill ranges ....

, Sanjay National Park
Sanjay National Park
The Sanjay National Park is located in the Sidhi District of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It it a part of the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve. The park covers 466.7 km2.-Wildlife:...

, Madhav National Park
Madhav National Park
Madhav National Park is situated in Shivpuri District of Gwalior region in northwest Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the ancestral home of the line of ęAli Khan, a region based in Punjab, and most famous for the laws of commonly credited with defining modern day jurisprudence. Shivpuri town is located...

, Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is a national park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a national park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological...

, Mandla Plant Fossils National Park
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park
National fossils park is situated in Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh in India. This national park has plants in fossil form that existed in India anywhere between 40 million and 150 million years ago spread over seven villages of Mandla District...

, Panna National Park
Panna National Park
Panna National Park is a national park located in Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh in India. It has an area of about 543 square miles . The terrain in Panna National Park is undulating and heavily forested with many streams and waterfalls.Among the animals found here are the chital,...

, and Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Pench National Park is situated in Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh in India. It derives its name from the Pench River that flows through the National park from north to south dividing the park into almost equal western and eastern halves- the well forested areas of Chhindwara and...

.

There are also a number of natural preserves, including Amarkantak
Amarkantak
Amarkantak is a pilgrim town and a nagar panchayat in Anuppur District in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Also called "Teerthraj" , Amarkantak region is a unique natural heritage area and is the meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum...

, Patalkot
Patalkot
Patalkot is a valley in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, India.-Geography:The Patalkot valley is spread over an area of 79 km2. at an average height of 2750–3250 feet above Mean Sea Level from 22.24 to 22.29 ° North and 78.43 to 78.50 ° East...

, Bagh Caves
Bagh Caves
The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Kukshi tehsil of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India. These monuments are located at a distance of 97 km from Dhar town. These are renowned for mural paintings by...

, Bhedaghat
Bhedaghat
Bhedaghat is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jabalpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is situated by the side of river Narmada and is approximately 20 km from Jabalpur city...

, Bori Natural Reserve, Ken Gharial, Ghatigaon, Kuno Palpur, Narwar
Narwar
Narwar is a town and a nagar panchayat in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Narwar is a historic town and the Narwar Fort is just east of the Kali Sindh River and is situated at a distance of 42 km from Shivpuri. Narwar was known as Narwar District during the times of...

, Chambal
Chambal River
The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in central India, and forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning...

, Kukdeshwar, Narsinghgarh
Narsinghgarh
Narsinghgarh is a town of historical importance in the Damoh District of Madhya Pradesh in India. There is one ancient fort built by Shah Taiyab in Narsinghgarh. The town Narsinghgarh is situated on Sonar River. Birla group has established one cement factory at Narsinghgarh.-External links:*...

, Nora Dehi, Pachmarhi
Pachmarhi
Pachmarhi is a hill station in Madhya Pradesh state of central India, also known for the Pachmarhi Cantonment. It is widely known as "Satpura ki Rani" , situated at a height of 1000 m in a valley of the Satpura Range in Hoshangabad district...

, Panpatha, Shikarganj, and Tamia
Tamia
Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...

.

National Parks and their Fauna

There are 9 National Parks and 25 Sanctuaries spread over an area of 10,862 km2 constituting 11.40% of the total forest area and 3.52% of the geographical area of the state. Efforts are under way to increase the Protected Area network to 15% of the forest or 5% of the geographical.

There is a network of Protected Areas representative of bio-geographical zones. Special efforts have been made towards conservation of highly endangered species in the following National Parks and sanctuaris:
  • Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Panna, and Satpura national park are managed as project tiger areas.
  • Sardarpur sanctuary in Dhar
    Dhar
    Dhār is located in the Malwa region of western Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dhar District. The town is located west of Mhow, above sea level...

     and Sailana
    Sailana
    Sailana is a town and a nagar panchayat in Ratlam district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is located in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Sailana is 25 km from Ratlam town and 50 km away from Banswara district of the neighboring state of Rajasthan.A Fort belonging to the former...

     are managed for conservation of kharmor or Lesser Florican
    Lesser Florican
    The Lesser Florican , also known as the Likh, is a large bird in the bustard family and the only member of the genus Sypheotides. It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent where it is found in tall grasslands and is best known for the leaping breeding displays made by the males during the Monsoon...

    .
  • Ghatigaon sanctuary is managed for Great Indian Bustard
    Great Indian Bustard
    The Great Indian Bustard or Indian Bustard is a bustard found in India and the adjoining regions of Pakistan. A large bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs giving it an ostrich like appearance, this bird is among the heaviest of the flying birds...

     or Son Chiriya.
  • National Chambal sanctuary is managed for conservation of gharial
    Gharial
    The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...

     and mugger
    Mugger Crocodile
    The mugger crocodile , also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries...

    , River dolphin
    River dolphin
    River dolphins are the four living species of dolphin that reside in freshwater rivers and estuaries. River dolphins inhabit areas of Asia and South America. They are classed in the Platanistoidea superfamily of cetaceans. Three species live in fresh water rivers. The fourth species, the La Plata...

    , smooth coated otter and a number of turtle species.
  • Ken-gharial and Son-gharial sanctuaries are managed for conservation of gharial
    Gharial
    The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...

     and mugger.

  • Barasinghal is the state animal and Dudhraj (Paradise Flycatcher) is state bird of Madhya Pradesh.

Name of National Park Area Location Established Fauna
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. In the 1930s, Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and Banjar, of 250 and 300 km² . Kanha National Park was created on 1 June, 1955. Today it stretches over an...

 
940 km² Mandla
Mandla
-Demographics: India census, Mandla had a population of 45,907. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mandla has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 72%. Majority of Population belongs Adivasi, so...

 
1955 Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...

, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Sambar, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, Chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

, Barking Deer, Swamp Deer, (Barasingha
Barasingha
The Barasingha or Swamp deer is a deer species currently found in isolated localities in north and central India, and southwestern Nepal, and is extinct in Pakistan and Bangladesh....

), Wild Boar & variety of upland birds.
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the popular national parks in India located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 with an area of 105 km². The buffer is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni and totals 437 km²...

 
437 km² Umaria
Umaria
Umaria is a town in umaria district of the Shahdol Division of Madhya Pradesh state of central India.-History:umaria is located to the North East of Madhya Pradesh. Mathematically the coordinates of the District extend from 23o38' to 24o20' North and 80o28' to 82o12' East. It has geographical...

 
1968
Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...

, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Sambar, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, Chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

, Barking Deer, Wild Boar & variety of upland birds.
Madhav National Park
Madhav National Park
Madhav National Park is situated in Shivpuri District of Gwalior region in northwest Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the ancestral home of the line of ęAli Khan, a region based in Punjab, and most famous for the laws of commonly credited with defining modern day jurisprudence. Shivpuri town is located...

354 km² Shivpuri
Shivpuri
Shivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of above sea level.-History:Shivpuri is an ancient...

 
1959
Panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Sambar, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, Chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

, Black Buck
Black Buck
For the mammal, see Blackbuck. For the RAF operation, see Operation Black Buck.In post-Reconstruction United States, Black Buck was a racial slur used to describe a certain type of African American men...

, Chausingha, Wild Boar, Crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...

s in lake, & variety of upland birds.
Sanjay National Park
Sanjay National Park
The Sanjay National Park is located in the Sidhi District of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It it a part of the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve. The park covers 466.7 km2.-Wildlife:...

1938 km² Sidhi
Sidhi
Sidhi is a city and a municipality in Sidhi district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.-Geography:Sidhi is located at . It has an average elevation of 272 metres .It is a state of Chandela Rajput who came from Delhi...

 
-
Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Sambar, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...

, etc.
Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is a national park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a national park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological...

 
4.45 km² Bhopal  1983
Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

, Bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...

, Hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...

 etc.
Panna National Park
Panna National Park
Panna National Park is a national park located in Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh in India. It has an area of about 543 square miles . The terrain in Panna National Park is undulating and heavily forested with many streams and waterfalls.Among the animals found here are the chital,...

 
543 km² Panna
Panna
Panna can refer to:* Aam panna, an Indian drink made from mangoes* Panna, Madhya Pradesh, a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India* Panna district, a district in Sagar Division of Madhya Pradesh, India* Panna National Park, in Madhya Pradesh, India...

, Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur is a city and a municipality in Chhatarpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhatarpur District.- History :...

 
-
Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

, Sambar and the Sloth Bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...

Satpura National Park
Satpura National Park
Satpura National Park is located in district Hoshangabad of Madhya Pradesh in India. It gets the name from Satpura hill ranges ....

 
524 km² Pachmarhi
Pachmarhi
Pachmarhi is a hill station in Madhya Pradesh state of central India, also known for the Pachmarhi Cantonment. It is widely known as "Satpura ki Rani" , situated at a height of 1000 m in a valley of the Satpura Range in Hoshangabad district...

 
1981
Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Sambar, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Bherki, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, Four-horned antelope
Four-horned Antelope
The Four-horned Antelope , or Chousingha, is a small antelope found in open forest in India and Nepal. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Tetracerus.-Description:...

, Chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

, Bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...

 (gour), Wild Boar, Wild Dog
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...

, Bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...

, Black Buck
Black Buck
For the mammal, see Blackbuck. For the RAF operation, see Operation Black Buck.In post-Reconstruction United States, Black Buck was a racial slur used to describe a certain type of African American men...

, Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...

, Porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...

, Flying squirrel
Flying squirrel
Flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini, are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels .- Description :...

, Mouse deer, Indian giant squirrel
Indian Giant Squirrel
The Indian giant squirrel, or Malabar giant squirrel, is a large tree squirrel species genus Ratufa native to India. It is a large-bodied diurnal, arboreal, and herbivorous squirrel found in South Asia.-Description:...

 etc.
Pench
Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Pench National Park is situated in Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh in India. It derives its name from the Pench River that flows through the National park from north to south dividing the park into almost equal western and eastern halves- the well forested areas of Chhindwara and...

 
293 km² Seoni, Chhindwara
Chhindwara
Chhindwara is a town and a municipality in Chhindwara district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhindwara District. Chhindwara is reachable by rail or road from adjacent cities Nagpur and Jabalpur...

 
1983
Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, Panther
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, Bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...

, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...

, Sambhar, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, Chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

, Barking Deer, Chowsingha, Wild Boar & variety of upland birds.
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park
National fossils park is situated in Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh in India. This national park has plants in fossil form that existed in India anywhere between 40 million and 150 million years ago spread over seven villages of Mandla District...

 
0.27 km² Mandla
Mandla
-Demographics: India census, Mandla had a population of 45,907. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mandla has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 72%. Majority of Population belongs Adivasi, so...

 
-
Plant Fossils

List of sanctuaries

  • Kheoni (Dewas, Sehore) 122.70 km²
  • Narsingharh (Rajgarh) 57. 19 km²
  • Gandhi Sagar (Mandsaur)
    Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary
    Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is wildlife sanctuary situated on the northern boundary of Mandsaur and Nimach districts in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is spread over an area of 368.62 km squire adjoining Rajasthan state in India. It was notified in 1974 and more area was added in 1983. The Chambal...

     368.62 km²
  • Bori
    Bori Wildlife Sanctuary
    The Bori Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Hoshangabad District of Madhya Pradesh state in central India.Bori Wildlife Sanctuary includes India's oldest forest preserve, the Bori Reserve Forest, established in 1865 along the Tewa River....

     (Hoshangabad) 518.00 km²
  • Pachmarhi (Hoshangabad) 461.85 km²
  • Dubri (Sidhi) 364.69 km²
  • Singhori (Raisen) 287.91 km²
  • Noradehi (Sagar) 1034.52 km²
  • Pench (Seoni, Chhindwara) 449.39 km²
  • National Chambal Gharial
    National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary
    National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a protected area for critically endangered Gharial Crocodiles and the Red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges River Dolphin. Located near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, North India...

     (Morena) 320.00 km²
  • Ken Ghariyal (Chhatarpur, Panna) 45.00 km²
  • Sone Ghariyal (Sidhi) 41.80 km²
  • Kuno-Palpur
    Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
    Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary or Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary lies in the Sheopur district of north western Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India. It is about 120 kilometres from Gwalior....

     (Morena) 345.00 km²
  • Karera (Shivpuri) 202.21 km²
  • Ghatigaon (Gwalior) 512.00 km²
  • Bagdara (Sidhi) 478.90 km²
  • Fensaellite (Mandla) 110.74 km²
  • Panpatha (Shahdol) 245.84 km²
  • Sardarpur Florican (Dhar) 348.12 km²
  • Sailana Florican (Ratlam) 12.96 km²
  • Ratapani (Raisen) 688.79 km²
  • Ralamandal (Indore)
  • Orchha (Tikamgarh)
  • Gangau
  • V. Durgawati (Damoh)

The Tribals and Forests

The tribal population is an integral part of the biodiversity of the forests since ages. A large number of ethnic aboriginal tribes are there who live in and around forests in Madhya Pradesh. The main tribal groups are:
  • Bhil
    Bhil
    Bhils are primarily an Adivasi people of Central India. Bhils are also settled in the Tharparkar District of Sindh, Pakistan. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages....

    s
    • Barela
      Barela
      Barela is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jabalpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.-Geography:Barela is located at . It has an average elevation of 405 metres .-Demographics:...

      s
    • Bhilala
      Bhilala
      The Bhilala are located in several states in western central India, but mainly in the districts of Dhar, Jhabua, and West Nimar of Madhya Pradesh and in Dhulia and Jalgaon in Maharashtra. Their language, also called Bhilala, is a sub-group of the Bhil language, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan family...

      s
    • Patliya
  • Korku
    Korku
    Korku is a scheduled tribe community predominantly found in the East Nimar , Betul and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas in Melghat region of Maharastra in India speaking the Korku language, which is a member of the Austroasiatic language family...

    • Movasiruma
    • Nahala
      Nahala
      Nahala means "heritage" or "inheritance". It may refer to:* Nahala, Israel, a moshav in south-central Israel* Yahrtzeit, a Jewish memorial observance for a dead person...

    • Vavari
    • Bodoya
  • Agaria
    Agaria
    Agaria is one of little Steel industry in India. The Agarias declined rapidly after the import of English steel in India was promoted during the 19th century and the weapons and utensils were made using English steel....

  • Baiga
    Baiga
    Baiga is a tribe found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand states of India. The largest number of Baigas is found in Baiga-chuk in Mandla district and Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. They have sub-castes – Bijhwar, Narotia, Bharotiya, Nahar, Rai Bhaina, and Kadh Bhaina...

    • Bijhwar
    • Narotia
    • Bharotiya
    • Nahar
      Nahar
      Nahar may refer to:* Chechen nahar or naxar, a currency that Chechen separatists planned for Chechen Republic of Ichkeria* Lord Nahar, a character in The Echorium Sequence fantasy trilogy by Katherine Roberts...

    • Rai Bhaina
    • Kadh Bhaina
  • Kaul
    • Rohiya
    • Rauthail
  • Saharia
    Saharia
    Saharia, Sahar, Sehariya, or Sahariya is an indigenous tribe in the Madhya Pradesh province of India. The Saharias are mainly found in the districts of Morena,sheopur, Bhind, Gwalior, Datia, Shivpuri, Vidisha and Guna districts of Madhya Pradesh and Baran district of Rajasthan.-Etymology:The...

  • Bharia
    Bharia
    Bharia is one of tribes of Madhya Pradesh in India.The Bharias live in Patalkot, which is completely isolated valley some 400 metres below Tamia in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh.This valley is the source of Dudhi River...

    • Bhumiya
      Bhumiya
      Bhumiya is a village in Barakot Tahsil, Champawat District, Uttarakhand, India.-Ishta Bhumiya ka Mandir:"Ishta Bhumiya ka Mandir" is a temple in the village. Every year there is Mela in ashtami of Ashwin Navratri. People who have moved to different parts of India try to come and enjoy the mela...

    • Bhuihar
    • Pando
      Pando
      -People:*Pando of Capua , "Pando the Rapacious", Count of Capua*Gabriela Pando , Argentine field hockey player*José Manuel Pando , 29th President of Bolivia*Juan Pando , Spanish historian...

  • Gond
    Gondi people
    The Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...

    • Pardhan
    • Agariya
      Agariya
      The Agariya are one of the Scheduled Tribes of India. They live primarily in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Those in the vicinity of Mirzapur were involved in mining and smelting iron during the British Raj....

    • Ojha
      Ojha
      The term Ojha is a surname for Saraswat Brahmin and Saryu Pareen\Kanyakubj Brahmin castes of India and Nepal. The term is used amongst speakers of Hindi, Oriya and Bengali, as well as amongst the Santhals. This term has been derived from Sanskrit over time. Literal translations vary, but one such...

    • Nagarchi
    • Solhas
  • Halba
    Halba
    Halba is the capital of Akkar District in North Governorate, Lebanon, close to the border with Syria. It is located at around .The population in Halba is majority Muslim Sunnah, and minority Christian Greek Orthodox and Christian Maronites....

    • Halbi
      Halbi
      Halbi or Halba is a tribal community of India. It is mostly found in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.The word Halba is derived from word hal . The Halba were farmers and landlords. The Halba tribes was the one of the major and most influential tribal group of...

    • Bastariya
    • Chhatisgarhiya
  • Mariya
    • Abujh Mariya,
    • Dandami Mariya,
    • Metakoitur
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