Madhya Pradesh is famous for its rich cultural heritage, historical forts like Gwalior Fort, Orchha Fort, Raisen Fort, etc., UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, etc., national parks and tiger reserves. Recently, the Madhav National Park was declared as the 58th Tiger Reserve of India and the 9th Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh is very rich in its Biodiversity. As of the latest official data from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) 2023:-
- Total Forest Area: 77,493 sq. km
- Percentage of MP’s Total Area: 25.14%
- Rank in India: 1st (Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest area among all Indian states)
According to the latest tiger census, which was held in 2022 and the result declared in 2023, which is organised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India. According to the report, Madhya Pradesh is the “Tiger State of India” because Madhya Pradesh has more tigers than all the states in India. They have 785 tigers in Madhya Pradesh.
Please check this URL for official state-wise tiger population data from the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India. (Data Source – NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India & Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun )
| S.No. | Tiger Reserve In Madhya Pradesh | Notification Year | Location (District) | Nearest Railway Station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanha Tiger Reserve | 2007 | Mandla & Balaghat | Gondia (145 km), Jabalpur (160 km) |
| 2 | Pench Tiger Reserve | 2007 | Seoni | Seoni (30 km), Nagpur (145 km), Jabalpu |
| 3 | Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve | 2007 | Umaria | Umaria (32.5 km), Katni (100 km), Jabalpur (200 km) |
| 4 | Satpura Tiger Reserve | 2007 | Narmadapuram | Itarsi (70 km), Sohagpur, Pipariya, Narmadapuram |
| 5 | Panna Tiger Reserve | 2007 | Panna | Khajuraho (22 km), Satna (88 km), Jhansi (184 km) |
| 6 | Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve | 2011 | Sidhi | Beohari (28 km), Rewa (125 km), Satna (150 km) |
| 7 | Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve | 2023 | Damoh & Sagar | Khajuraho |
| 8 | Ratapani Tiger Reserve | 2024 | Raisen & Sehore | Obedullaganj (15.8 km), Bhopal (51.5 km), Itarsi (55.4 km) |
| 9 | Madhav Tiger Reserve | 2025 | Shivpuri in Gwalior | Shivpuri (0 km) |
Area Details of Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh (in sq. km)
| S.No. | Tiger Reserve | Core Area (sq. km) | Buffer Area (sq. km) | Total Area (sq. km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanha Tiger Reserve | 917.44 | 1134.36 | 2051.79 |
| 2 | Pench Tiger Reserve | 411.33 | 768.3 | 1179.63 |
| 3 | Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve | 716.9 | 820.03 | 1536.93 |
| 4 | Satpura Tiger Reserve | 1339.26 | 794.04 | 2133.3 |
| 5 | Panna Tiger Reserve | 576.13 | 1021.97 | 1598.1 |
| 6 | Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve | 812.58 | 861.93 | 1674.51 |
| 7 | Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve | 1414 | 925.12 | 2339.12 |
| 8 | Ratapani Tiger Reserve | 763.81 | 507.65 | 1271.46 |
| 9 | Madhav Tiger Reserve | 375.23 | 1276.15 | 1651.38 |