Panna National Park, India, is home to a
variety of flora and fauna and it is famous for its wild population of
tigers, leopards and elephants. It has a great variety of fauna on account
of habitat diversity. It is a haven for the tiger as well as the animals it
feeds on. It can become a very important part of the tourism itinerary
taking into account its proximity to Khajuraho.
Places
like these inspire us to promote ecotourism which means making as little
environmental impact, in the places we visit, as possible and helping to
sustain the indigenous populace, thereby encouraging the preservation of
wildlife and habitats. This is a responsible form of tourism and tourism
development, which encourages going back to life connected to nature in
every aspect of life. It is also the key to sustainable ecological
development. Today, the laws of conservation are making people aware of how
man and the environment can live symbiotically for more time to come and
ecotourism is the only way to maximize the economic, environmental and
social benefits of tourism.
Wildlife Attractions
Flora
While talking about flora, this place has dry teak and dry mixed forest.
The reason for this kind of vegetation is the dry and hot climate of this
region, coupled with shallow Vindhyan soils. Panna National Park has two
kinds of vegetation- dry deciduous forest and grassland areas which dot
almost the entire Panna National Park. Riverines, open grasslands, open
woodlands with tall grasses and thorny woodlands are other kinds of
vegetations existing here. The floral species for which this area is famous
for include tree species such as Tectona grandis, Diospyros melanoxylon,
Madhuca indica, Buchnania latifolia, Anogeissus latifolia, Anogeissus
pendula, Lannea coromandelica, Bosswelia serrata etc.
Fauna
The
park is known worldwide for its wild cats, including tigers as well as deer
and antelope. The tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) have a kind of a permanent
home here. The other animals which exist in the natural environs of this
park are - leopard (Panthera pardus), wild dog (Cuon alpinus), wolf (Canis
lupus), hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), caracal (Felus caracal) and smaller cats.
Sloth bear prefers to live in the rock escarpments. The other less ferocious
inhabitants of Panna National Park are Indian deers, chital and chowsingha.
Nilgai and chinkara can be easily sighted in most open areas in the
grasslands, specially on the outer ring of Panna National Park.
Avifauna
There are more than 200 known bird species existing here. Many of them are
migratory birds. The important species to be found here are honey buzzard,
white necked stork, bar-headed goose, King vulture, blossom-headed Parakeet,
slaty-headed Scimitar babbler, Paradise flycatcher etc.
Other Attractions :
Diamond Industry
While on a trip to the Panna National Park feasting your eyes on the rarest
of wildlife species, you can also choose to visit the only diamond mines in
the country – Panna Diamond Mines.
Pandav Falls
Very close to the wildlife sanctuary lies the Pandav Falls which is a
not-to-be-missed site for tourists fond of nature and its various aspects.
Rajgarh Palace
There is also a chance to get a bit nostalgic here. Well, it's the
senescent Rajgarh Palace that truly is a sight to behold and appreciate.
Best Time To Visit:
If you want to increases your chances of sighting the exclusive wildlife of
Panna National Park, then you'll have to brave the hot and uncomfortable
summer of this area. Winters are cosy and the temperature remains at the
levels comparable to springs of major portions in India. Monsoon comes to
this region in July and continues up to mid-September. January to May are
the best months to visit this place.
Location and Accessibility :
Panna
National Park is situated at a distance of approximately 57 km from
Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.
By Air - Khajuraho is the nearest airport at a distance of around 57
km from the Panna National Park. There are daily Alliance Air flights to
Delhi, Mumbai and Varanasi from Khajuraho.
By Rail - The nearest railway station is Satna, which is around 90
km away. Satna is connected to many important places in central and western
India.
By Road - A good road network connects Panna to nearby areas. Madla,
a good transport hub at a distance of around 24 km southwest of Khajuraho,
is an easy place to get buses and other transport modes to Panna.
