National Parks in Maharashtra

The State of Maharashtra has varied and rich bio diversity. The Western ghats provide it with the hilly forested terrain, the Konkan plains are rich in minerals and the East & Northeast areas of the state better known as the Vidharbha region is forested. The deciduous forests of the region extending into Madhya Pradesh have the tiger reserves, protected areas and wild life sanctuaries. The state has five National Parks and more than 35 Wild Life Sanctuaries and Protected areas.

Gugamal National Park. This National Park is also a protected tiger reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve, and is located in Amravati district of the Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra. The cool environs, scenic beauty with waterfalls, lakes, lush green vegetation make it an excellent summer holiday destination. The 1700 square kilometers of this tiger reserve is the last known bastion for the Indian tiger. There has been a lot of criticism for the mishandling of the tiger project with miscalculation of the number of tigers. The airport at Akola is a convenient three hours drive away. The nearest railhead is 110 kilometers away at Badnera.

Navegaon National Park. The Navegaon National Park spread over 1350 square kilometers of forested areas in the Nagpur district. The park has quite a few attractions; ornithologists’ favorite Dr. Salim Ali Bird sanctuary, an aviary and a deer park. The landscaped gardens of the National Park are a treat for the sore eyes. The Navegaon National Park has strategically located observations towers which allow a visitor a realistic peak-a-boo into the nature’s wonder.

The Park is primarily a bird sanctuary and more than half of the species of the State can be sighted here. No wonder Dr Salim Ali did his greater part of bird sighting in these forests. The Park has a picturesque Kolu Patel Lake with clear blue waters. The lake is surrounded by peaks numbering one to seven and are known as the seven sisters. The Park is about 100 miles from the airport at Nagpur and is visited by 100,000 visitors each year.

Chandoli National Park. The Chandoli National Park in the Sangli and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra is spread over more than 300 square kilometers of area. The picturesque settings with the reservoir of Chandoli Dam, the virgin forests and diverse flora and fauna make this National Park a great weekend destination. The Chandoli Sanctuary of yore was formally declared as a National Park in March, 2007. It also has the protected status of Tiger Reserve.

Pench National Park. The famous book of Rudyard Kipling, the Jungle Book, about a boy Mowgli has the settings of the jungles of Pench National Park. No wonder a Sanctuary close by is known as Mowgli Sanctuary. The park with over 275 square kilometers of area continues into Madhya Pradesh, a neighboring state. The park is inhabited by the Indian antelope Sambhar, blue bulls, wild dogs, bears and a variety of birds. The park is especially known for its leopards and Indian antelopes. The park is closed during the monsoon months of July to September. The nearest airport is just 45 miles away at Nagpur.

Tadoba National Park. The park located 65 miles from Nagpur is the oldest and probably the third largest with 625 square kilometers of area. The park was declared a “Tiger Reserve” in the early nineties and has been considered the Jewel of Vidharbha. Tadoba is famous for numerous species of Indian antelopes like Chitals, Sambars, Neelgais and Barking deer. The climate is generally hot, dry and extreme with extreme heat during summers and severe winters.

The list above is just indicative of the natural retreats in Maharashtra and in no way complete. The other notable nature preserves are Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary near Sangli, The Nagzira Wildlife Preserve, Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary. The unrestricted growth of human population has encroached upon the habitat of the natural owners of the forests; the concept of Project Tiger has evolved to protect the tigers and other animals of these jungles and the vital eco system. Vidharbha serves the east of the state and Sangli district with many wild life sanctuaries and National Parks serves the South of Maharashtra.

The significance of eco-preservation has led to the declaration of Matheran, near Pune as an eco-protected zone. Similarly the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai is a virtual repository of oxygen to the concrete jungle of the metropolis. It is indeed creditable that India has realized the importance of other life forms in spite of the growing population and expanding cities. Let us hope and pray that Mowgli of the Jungle Book always wins.