About Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR):
- It is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and shares the southern boundary with Maharashtra.
- In 1983, it was declared a National Park, and in 1992, a tiger reserve. It is spread across 1,180 sq.km., including a buffer zone of 768 sq.km.
- It is named after the Pench River, meandering through the reserve from north to south.
- It comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary,and a buffer.
- The area of the PTR and the surrounding area is the real story area of Rudyard Kipling's famous "The Jungle Book".
- Vegetation: The undulating topography supports a mosaic of vegetation ranging from a moist sheltered valley to an open, dry deciduous forest.
- Flora:
- The reserve boasts a diverse range of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
- Teak forests are found in about one quarter of the area. Bamboo plantations are also present near the water banks.
- Fauna:
- The area is especially famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
- The key predator is the tiger, followed by the leopard, wild dogs, and wolf.
- There are over 325 species of resident and migratory birds, including the Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Osprey, Grey Headed Fishing Eagle, White Eyed Buzzard, etc.
