The Panna Tiger Reserve is situated in the Vindhya Mountain Ranges and sprawls over Panna and Chattarpur districts in the north of the state. Panna National Park is the 22nd Tiger Reserve of India and 5th in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. The National Park holds the areas from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary created in year 1975. The Gangau Sanctuary constitutes of territorial forests of the present North and South Panna Forest Division to which a portion of the adjoining Chhatarpur forest division was included later. The reserved forests of the Park in Panna district and some protected forests on Chhatarpur side were the hunting grounds of the former rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur and Bijawar princely states in the past. The reserve is located on either sides of the Ken river which rushes from south to north through the Lower Vindhyan Formations within the park

The Fauna in Panna Tiger Reserve

The predominant species that inhabits the park is the deer, of which the most easily sighted are the graceful little Chinkara, the Indian gazelle, and the Chital. Other species that have their habitat in the park are Nilgai, Sambar, Chausingha or four-horned Antelope, Blackbuck, Sloth Bear, Leopard and the ubiquitous common Langur, Tiger, Leopard, striped Hyaena, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Chital, Nilgai, four-horned Antelope or Chowsingha, Wild Boar, Chinkara or mountain Gazelle, Gazella, crocodile and others.

The Avi-fauna in the Panna National Park

Panna National Park is equally rich in avifauna. The artificial lake, Chandpata, is the winter home of migratory Geese, Pochard, Pintail, Teal, Mallard, Red Wattled Lapwing, Large Pied Wagtail, Pond Heron, White - Breasted Kingfisher, Cormorant, Painted Stork, White Ibis, Laggar Falcon, Purple Sun bird, Paradise Flycatcher and Golden Oriole.

Panna National Park Travel Circuit

Panna - Khajurao - Orchha - Gwalior
Agra - Gwalior - Khajuraho - Panna Tiger Reserve - Bandhavgarh National Park - Kanha National Park - Khajuraho

PLACES AROUND PANNA

Khajuraho is situated at a distance of around 57 km from the Panna National Park. The place is a world heritage site famous for the exquisite sculptures adorning the temples there. The erotic images on the walls of the temples are well known and attract tourists from all over the world. Major attractions are the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshman Temple, Devi Jagdamba Temple, temple of Vishwanath and Nandi, Chaunsath Yogini Temple, Parsvanatha Temple, Shanti Nath Temple, Ghantai Temple, and temples of Brahma and Hanuman.