Pench National Park

Located in northwestern Maharastra, about 70 km from the city of Nagpur, the Pench Tiger Reserve comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Mowgli Pench Sanctuary and a buffer. Situated in the Seoni District of Southern Madhya Pradesh, the park nestles in the lower Southern slopes of the Satpura hills of Central India. The river Pench flows along the Pench Park which splits the park into two. 

A description of its natural wealth and richness occurs in Ain -i-Akbari. Apart from this, this park's flora and fauna describes in many natural history books like R. A. Strendale's 'Seonee - Camp life in Satpura Hills,' Forsyth's 'Highlands of Central India' and Dunbar Brander's 'Wild Animals of Central India' and among this Seonee was the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling's famous 'The Jungle Book'.

The park has a historical background. It was established as Pench Sanctuary in 1977. Out of this, an area of 292.85 sq km was declared Pench National Park in the year 1983 and 118.31 sq km remained as Pench Sanctuary. Later in 1992, the government declared 757.89 sq km area including the National Park and the sanctuary as the 19th Tiger Reserve of the country. And in 2002, the Pench park rechristined as Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park and Pench Sanctuary as Mowgli Pench Sanctuary.

The Pench Park's some interesting view points are Alikatta - an excellent place for wildlife viewing is also the main elephant camp in Pench Park, Tiger Sansar - near to Alikatta and a favourite with tigers. Pyorthadi - is a partly submerged village site that attracts chital and other animals. It is open only after December, Sitaghat - one of the beautiful area in Pench dotted with rocks and artistic looking trees, Chindimatta - is a small hillock, is the main base of the boating facilities in the park. This area is full of ups and downs over rocky hills and through excellent forest, Karmajhiri - is one of the entrance of the park. It is the location of the museum, forest rest house and other accommodation facilities, Bodanala is a worth visiting area which has a picturesque pond that attracts animals and birds, Raiyakassa - is the location of a watchtower built by the park authorities. From the roof of this cement watch tower one can get a fine view of the Pench River. The park authorities also offer visitors the choice of spending a night at this watchtower. The facilities are extremely basic but it is worth to spend a night here. Bison and occasionally tiger has been spotted from this spot, The Kalapahad - is an area with hilly, boulder-ridden terrain which offers an excellent for langurs is also a favourite for leopards.

Flora

The park has southern tropical dry deciduous teak and southern tropical mixed deciduous forest with other species of shrubs, trees and climbers . The Teak and its associates Achar, Garari, Aonla, Ghont, Baranga, Mokha, Skiras, Tendu, Bija, Achar, Garari, Aonla, Ghont, Baranga, Moyan, Mahua, Amaltas, kihamali, Khair, Palas, Bamboo, Kulu gum tree are the common trees in and around the park. 

Fauna

There are around 25 tigers in this Park. Apart from tigers, the fauna of the comprises a number of endangered species have made it their habitat. 39 species of mammals, 13 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians have been listed. Amongst the 210 bird species barbets, bulbul, minivets orioles, wagtails, munias, mynas, waterfowls, blue kingfishers are regularly caught sight of..