Pench National Park

This southern Indian tropical wet deciduous forest covers 758 sq km and is mixed with tropical dry deciduous teak. A multitude of streams and “nallahs,” the most of which are seasonal, crisscross the area. Despite the Pench River drying up towards the end of April, there are several water puddles in this area known as “dohs,” which serve as watering places for various wild animals.

During the water shortage, the Pench Reservoir in the park’s middle is the sole significant water source. In 2002, an upsurge in wildlife tourism helped this park gain notoriety. Rudyard Kipling, however, discovered the park long before tourism took off, and he immortalised it in his well-known “Jungle Book” as a memoir.

In Pench Tiger Reserve, it’s typical to witness a healthy population of Cheetal, Sambar, and Nilgai grazing the open spaces along the sides of highways and along the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Wild dog packs of up to 15 can be found close to the Reserve’s Chhedia, Jamtara, Bodanala, and Pyorthadi sections. In the summer, gaur herds are frequently seen by streams and bamboo groves. Sloth beer prefer mahul bel-infested forests and high, rocky outcrops. The Chinkara inhabits open spaces around the villages of Turia, Telia, and Dudhgaon in extremely tiny numbers.