Kanha National Park in the Mandla District spreads over 945 sq.km of dense sal forests, interspersed with extensive meadows and trees and clumps of wild bamboo. This area known as Kipling Country' is where all the jungle books of Rudyard Kipling were conceived.. The same abundance of wildlife species exists today in Kanha National Park, which forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare hardground barasingha (Cervus Duvaceli Branderi). In the 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries: Hallon and Banjar. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded, the area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the years that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952. By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation programmes for the protection of the park's flora and fauna has given Kanha its deserved reputation for being one of the finest and best administered National Parks in Asia, an irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers and a true haven for its animal and avian population.

Flora & Fauna
Today, Kanha is one of the most famous Tiger Reserves in India, and it harbours a rich diversity of plants and animals. A photographer’s paradise, Kanha offers unlimited possibilities of capturing wildlife on film. Kanha is often called Tiger Land, and visitors narrate innumerable and unforgettable instances of tiger sightings. Even in terms of conservation, the National Park has been a remarkable success, and has protected a number of species that might otherwise have been altogether extinct.

Vegetation in Kanha varies with altitude. The meadows, speckled with climbs of the great sal tree (Shorea robusta), are interspersed with larger areas of the great sal forests. In the higher reaches, bamboo becomes more prominent till the mixed jungle with almost 70 species of trees, replaces the bamboo trees. Finally, the flat tops of the ridges, locally known as dadar, are covered with grasslands sparingly scattered with trees. These forests are a treasure trove of wildlife. Kanha is home to as many as 22 species of large mammals commonly found in the Park, and almost 300 species of birds. Sightings of a common langur (long-tailed monkey), jackal, wild boar, chital (spotted deer), sambar (Indian stag) and blackbuck are not unusual. However, the Indian porcupine, sloth bear, hyena, jungle cat, leopard, chausingha (four-horned antelope) and nilgai (blue bull) are very elusive. Other sightings, such as those of the tiger, gaur (Indian bison), dhole (Indian wild dog), muntjac (barking deer), hare and mongoose need patience, time and luck.

In an ecosystem, the key indicators of the vitality of the system are the predators. A thriving predator population in a forest is indicative of an abundance of the prey species (like deer), and of the entire food chain. Kanha has a variety of predators of all sizes, both from the cat family (like tigers and leopards) as well as from the dog family (like jackals, wolves and wild dogs). The tiger is the largest predator here, capable of killing the mighty gaur (Indian bison). The fierce leopard is usually nocturnal and very elusive, so much so that a leopard sighting is even more rare than that of a tiger despite the fact that leopards outnumber tigers. Among the small cats, Kanha is home to the jungle cat and ratel that feast on small mammals, birds, eggs, lizards and carrion.

The Dhole
The dog family is also well represented in Kanha. The Indian fox, the jackal, the striped hyena and the dhole (Indian wild dog) are common in the Park. The dhole is perhaps the most misunderstood of all these predators. All predators kill to survive, but the dhole has a reputation of being a bloody killer. What has earned the dhole this reputation is the way in which it kills. Almost all other predators kill in terrain that has some cover. The dhole is a coursing predator that kills mostly in open terrain. It hunts in packs, (up to 40 dholes can form one pack) that synchronize their attack. The pack splits into two; one group chases the prey, flushing it towards the other half of the pack. The dhole pack runs after its unfortunate prey, biting off flesh from the animal until it falls. What follows the chase is not a pretty sight either. The prey is usually large, and since the dhole lacks the killing bite of the large cat, the only way to kill its prey is by biting off chunks of meat, thereby bleeding the animal to death. Large dhole packs can kill animals as big as the gaur (Indian bison), and incidents have been reported where a pack was able to kill a tiger.

All this had made the dhole a very dreaded predator. Until 25 years ago, it was seen as a pest and falsely accused for being responsible for the decline in the number of deer. It carried a bounty on its head and was indiscriminately killed. But fortunately, the dhole is now protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act that forbids the hunting of this animal. More research is being done on the dhole, and for the first time, the focus is on the softer side to this animal.

The Barasingha
The barasingha is undoubtedly, the jewel of Kanha, and drastic steps have been taken to rescue it from complete extinction. The enlargement of the grasslands, through village reallocation, has been responsible for this impressive achievement. Barasinghas exist almost totally on grass, and tall grass meadows are essential for their security. At the height of winter, between December and January, falls the rutting season of these animals, and huge groups can be easily spotted in the Kanha and Sonph meadows. A small, but significant number of blackbucks also inhabit the central Kanha meadow.

The barasingha (swamp deer) is usually a very alert animal. Even while resting at the edge of a meadow, it is always wary of the presence of a predator. The barasingha is an extremely interesting animal to watch in the wild. Its antlers could have as many as 12 tines, which is why the deer is called barasingha (‘bara’ in Hindi means 12 and ‘singha’, antler). The barasingha’s large antlers are often adorned with tufts of grass, like streamers on a Christmas tree.

The sight that is likely to greet you in the morning in Kanha would be that of a large barasingha herd grazing in a chowd (open terrain). A nice way to start your day, but it wasn’t always like that. Once found throughout Central India, this subspecies of the barasingha (Cervus duvauceli branderi) is now restricted to Kanha. It was in Kanha that the barasingha was rescued from the brink of extinction. In the 1970s, the barasingha population had dwindled to a mere 66. Serious efforts were made by all concerned authorities, and the swamp deer population gradually increased. The efforts included the enlargement of the barasingha’s habitat through village relocation.

Deer thrive in open meadows and tall grasslands. Unfortunately, because of the threat from human beings and domestic cattle, the barasingha migrated from Kanha. Even today, the population of this subspecies of swamp deer keeps fluctuating and continues to be a cause for grave concern.

Found in the northern part of India, the barasingha (Cervus duvauceli branderi) has a subspecies that is different from its northern counterpart. This ‘other’ barasingha (Cervus duvauceli duvauceli) has pointed and compact hooves that enable it to move with ease on the grassland’s hard terrain. It is not very fond of water and rarely moves into sal forests. Grasslands are vital to the barasingha not only because it feeds almost exclusively on grass, but also because tall grass provides protection to the newborn fawn that is unable to keep up with the herd. Once the fawn is stronger, it will join the herd, but before that, it must stay well hidden from predators. Individuals of the same sex and age form separate schools, and sometimes large herds of almost 40 fawns can be seen frolicking around at one place, very much like children in a classroom.

The adults and fawns graze separately. Often engaging in mock fights, the sub-adult males lock their antlers in a trial of strength. However, the more serious fights among the adult males from December to January, the crucial mating season, are a sight to behold. The competing stags lock antlers with all their strength, kicking clouds of dust around them. The females graze around them, seemingly unconcerned by the sight and the sound of the clashing antlers. The young ones can’t help being a little curious, and watch the fight from the corner of their eyes. The winner, after having chased away the loser, basks in mud before reentering the herd. There have been incidents when the antlers of the warring stags had got so intricately tangled that the animals were unable to detach themselves. Not being able to graze nor drink, the animals died a slow death. At times, human intervention failed to detach the barasinghas locked antlers even after the deer had died.

The Tiger
But for all the astonishing diversity in its wildlife population, Kanha is best known as the habitat of the tiger. Sighting and photographing this magnificent animal from elephant back, is an unforgettable experience.

If you are in Kanha, you are in Tiger Land. Chances of seeing a tiger here are good despite the fact that the sal forests can get quite dense at places. Seen in its natural habitat, the tiger is one of the most fascinating beasts in the world. It is also almost invisible, be it in greenery or in brown bush. The tiger has this amazing ability to sneak up on its prey without the slightest sound, even while walking on dry undergrowth. But there’s a catch. While a tiger lies in the bush, it is almost impossible to see the animal – it stays perfectly still without a sound. Except for its tail, which it can never hold still, however hard it tries.

George Schaller, a well-known wildlife researcher, did a study in Kanha on the tiger and the major herbivores that form its prey. Conducted in 1967, this research is regarded as one of the best studies on Indian Wildlife, and has inspired other similar projects. These studies show that at its best, Kanha can sustain a rather large tiger population, especially in the core areas of the reserve. But as is the case with other Tiger Reserves in India, the tiger is fighting a battle of survival in Kanha as well. Not only is the tiger being killed, its habitat is continuously being encroached upon and its prey being hunted down by human beings.

In the early 20th century, there were about 40,000 tigers in the Indian subcontinent. This was before royal shikars (hunts) became a cult for the princes of India. Perched safely on elephants and machans (observation towers), royalty hunted the tiger. Royal hunts were an experience in themselves. While Jim Corbett hunted his man-eaters with a rifle, camping in dense forests for days accompanied only by his dog Robin, the maharajas (kings) found another way to bag their game.

Each state had its own army, and with battles becoming a thing of the past, these troops were used to drawing out game. Hundreds of men armed with weapons, drums, pots, and pans would step into the jungles. Then would begin the noisiest ‘safari’ a forest had seen, the ultimate goal being to drive animals out to where royalty waited to blast away with guns.

Project Tiger, a conservation programme launched in 1972 by India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, adopted the Indian tiger. The project’s main objective was to safeguard the tiger from poachers, but by the mid-90s, the project had lost its initial drive.

The poaching of tigers continues, and each and every part of the dead animal fetches a high price in the international market, especially in China where it is widely used in traditional East Asian medicines. Tiger teeth, fangs and claws make exotic and much sought after pendants that are believed to keep evil spirits at bay. Tiger skin fetches an unbelievable price from collectors.

Birds
To a casual visitor, Kanha’s bird life might not seem impressive, but if you pay attention, you will find a lot of birds in Kanha. Bird watching is not very simple in Kanha, but is worth the trouble. Get ready to go bird watching with a pair of binoculars, an identification book (recommended: The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali, or Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Grimmett) and patience, and you might be in for a field day. The best time to go bird watching on the hills or in the meadows of Kanha is just after daybreak. The sal forest is not particularly rich in bird life, but the rest of the Park compensates for that. Prize sightings include the Malabar pied hornbill, paradise flycatcher, black vulture, red spurfowl, pied crested cuckoo, Eurasian kingfisher and rosy pastor, to name a few.

Common sightings include those of doves, drongos, pigeons, parakeets, woodpeckers, warblers, herons, teals, quails, swallows, shrikes, mynahs, babblers, flycatchers, pipits, sparrows, egrets and cormorants. Among the birds of prey that rule the skies over Kanha are the serpent eagle, crested honey buzzard, white eyed buzzard, black-winged kite, nightjar, shikra, lagger and shaheen falcon, kestrel and a number of owls including the barn owl and brown fish owl, and owlets. Kanha is also home to some species of vultures, of which only the white-backed vulture is commonly seen. The others like the black vulture, the Egyptian vulture and the long-billed vulture are evasive.

Access
The nearest airport is at Nagpur (266 km from Kanha), which has connections to a number of major cities in India, including Mumbai. The nearest railhead is Jabalpur, at a distance of 169 km; Jabalpur has trains coming in from all across the country, and from here there are convenient buses to Kanha. The MPSRTC operates two buses daily, the earlier of which leaves Jabalpur at about 7 in the morning, to reach Kanha by noon.
Other cities and towns which are connected to Kanha by road include Raipur (219 km) and Mukki (25 km). From all these towns, there are regular buses to Kisli, and to the two park entrances, at Khatia and Mukki.

Once you’re in the park, you can hire a jeep from the MPSTDC office at the park. Jeeps can be booked through the manager of the MPSTDC log huts at Kisli, though elephant-back is a far better and quieter vantage point, to explore the park. You can go on mapped circuits accompanied by guides from the forest department who help you to identify the animals and birds. If you are a birdwatcher, Kanha will give you hours and hours of fun – the early morning being the best time to spot the birds. Also within the park is the Kanha Museum, which focuses not just on the flora and fauna of the area, but also on the local tribal population.

Best time to visit
Kanha Tiger Reserve is closed to visitors during the monsoon months, from July to October. Winter, between November and January, is a comfortable time to visit the park, when the weather’s pleasant. April to June is when the summer sets in; it can get pretty hot at this time, but if you’re a die-hard wildlife fan, this is when a visit can reward you with satisfactory wildlife-watching at the park’s waterholes.