Bandhavgarh National Park, an introduction

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve falls between the Vindhyan hill range and the eastern flank of Satpura hill range and is located in Shahdol and Jabalpur districts of Madhya Pradesh.

The Reserve is named after the highest hill Bandhavgarh (807 m.) in the centre of the Reserve. A chain of smaller hills, 32 in all, surrounds this hill, forming a number of valleys and spurs in between. Vertical cliffs are more prominent around the Bandhavragh hill. Interspersed in low-lying areas are a number of grassy meadows, such as Chakradhara, Rajbahera, Sehra-Dadra, Bhitri bah, Kolua bah etc. Since the main formation is of sandstone, water percolates through it, forming a number of perennial streams and springs. The western parts of the Reserve and Panpatha Sanctuary area are more or less plain. The hills are mainly flat-topped. The meadows in certain areas are marshy.
Sal trees cover low, undulating and plain tracts and degenerate in growth and quality as they ascend the hill slopes, giving place to mixed forest on upper slopes, mainly due to edaphic factors.
Gregarious flowering of bamboo in the year 1984-85 has resulted in profuse regeneration all over, which is giving good cover to all animals.

A few rare species such as the insectivorous plant Drocera peltata and medicinal plants such as Buch Acorus calamus are found in some isolated patches of the Tala range of the Reserve.
The rivers Johilla and Son flowing on the eastern side, the river Umrar passing through the western fringes and the Bandhavgarh hill, visible from as far as 30 km., are some of the landmarks of the Reserve.
Bandhavgarh has been an excellent habitat of the tiger and is known for its highest density of tiger population in the world.

Conservation History

The Bandhavgarh Fort, in the centre of the Reserve, atop the Bandhavgarh hill, was the seat of the rulers of erstwhile Rewa State until they shifted to Rewa town in 1617 A.D. The area of the Reserve, with its surrounding forests were the favorite hunting grounds of the erstwhile rulers and were zealously protected as such.

After independence and the abolition of the princely States, the process of degradation of forests accelerated due to lax control. Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa was deeply moved by the destruction of forests. On his proposal, an area of 105 sq. km. was
declared a National Park in 1965. The area of the park was increased to 448.84 sq. km. in 1982. The area of the 105 sq. km. old National Park was finally notified in 1968. The remaining part of the National Park i.e. 343.842 sq. km. is yet to be finally notified.

Considering the importance and potentiality of the National Park, it was included in the Project Tiger Network in 1993. The adjoining Panpatha Sanctuary, which was created in 1983 with an area of 245.847 sq. km. was also declared a part of the Reserve.

Archeological Richness
Bandhavgarh was the seat of ex-rulers of the Rewa State and its history dates back to the 3rd Century A.D. Even mythologically, the fort on this hill was built by Lord Rama for his brother Laxman, during the Ramayan. There are about thirty-five man-made caves in Bandhavgarh with inscriptions and carvings, which date back to about 129-168 A.D. Statues of various incarnations of Lord Vishnu, which were carved out of single rock are found in the fort. “Sheshshaiya” the statue of lord Vishnu in reclining pose is the biggest of all and attracts every tourist. These statues date back to the 10-11th century A.D.

Forest Types
Moist Peninsular Low Level Sal - 3C/C2a
West Gangetic Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests – 3C/C3a

Major Flora
Sal Shorea robusta, Saja Terminalia tomentosa, Dhauda Anogeissus latifolia, Tendu Diospyros melanoxylon, Arjun Terminalia arjuna, Aonla Emblica officinalis, Palas Butea monosperma, Salai Boswellia serrata, Bhirra Chloroxylon sweitenia, Gamar Gmelina arborea, Dhaman Grewia tilifolia, Mango Mangifera indica, Jamun Syzygium cumini, Bamboo Dendrocalamus strictus, etc.

Major Fauna
The faunal assemblage of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is of typical Central Indian species. The Gaur population of 30+ animals was never a viable population. Most of them seem to have migrated out of the Reserve in 1995 and hardly to be seen now.

Main Species
Mammals: Spotted deer or Chital Axis axis, sambar Cervus unicolor, barking deer or muntjac Muntiacus muntjak, chausinga or four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis, nilgai or blue bull Boselaphus tragocamelus, Indian gazelle or chinkara Gazella gazella, tiger Panthera tigris tigris, leopard Panthera pardus, wild dog or dhole Cuon alpinus, wolf Canis lupus, scavengers consist of hyaena Hyaena hyaena, jackal Canis aurius, wild
boar Sus scrofa, sloth bear Mellursus ursinus, common langur Presbetys entellus, Rhesus monkey Macaca mullatta, etc.
Birds: 242 species of birds have been identified in the Reserve. The most commonly seen are the Peafowl, Red Jungle Fowl, Grey Hornbill, Common Teal, Red Wattled Lapwing, Crested Serpent Eagle, White-breasted Kingfisher, Lesser Adjutant Stork, etc.
Reptiles: Cobra, krait, viper, python

Fauna listed in the Schedules of WPA, 1972
Tiger Panthera tigris, Leopard Panthera pardus, Jungle Cat Felis chaus, Wolf Canis lupus, Jackal Canis aureus, Indian Fox Vulpes bengalensis, Wild Dog Cuon alpinus, Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus, Ratel Mellivora capensis, Hyaena Hyaena hyaena, Chinkara Gazella gazella and Chowsingha Tetraceros quadicornis. Amongst birds are Malabar Pied Hornbill and amongst reptiles Indian Varanus Varanus bengalensis and Python Python morulus.

Management
The objective of the management of the reserve is to ameliorate the population of prey and predator within the perimeter of the intrinsic carrying capacities.

Protection/Patrolling Squads
Two diesel jeeps for patrolling have been provided by WWF and one Gypsy by Global Tiger Patrol. They are used as and when required inside the reserve and to go around its periphery. With insufficient staff, no squads for patrolling have been formed separately; only regular staff use it as per requirement.

Village Forest Protection Committee
In all, 40 FPCs have been constituted. They are helpful for protection and other works.

Eco-development
Under MP Forestry Project, eco-development works are being carried out around the Reserve in order to reduce the biotic pressure from surrounding villages. Micro-plans have been prepared for eco-development activities in some villages, namely Salkhania, Bagdara, Kathali, Lakhumar, Badawah, Ranchha, Majhkheta and Gohadi. They are being implemented with the project funds.

Education and Awareness
Wildlife week, quiz competitions, excursion of school children inside the Reserve and Radio and T.V. programmes are the main methods of education and awareness being
followed. Wildlife films are shown regularly at the meetings held at Eco-centres in villages.

Special Projects
M.P. Forestry Project has been launched in this area with assistance from the World Bank. This has been useful for creating infrastructure, as well as habitat improvement and the training of staff in wildlife protection.

In order to raise more funds for the conservation of Tiger and its habitat, M.P. Tiger Foundation Society has been constituted. It can receive funds from any national/ international NGO or individual.

Control of Buffer
Buffer is not under the administrative control of Field Director

Constraints

Staff
Most of the field staff are aged and have been posted in the Reserve for a long time now. Most of them are local people, prone to be influenced by the well-connected poachers and timber thieves.
Transfer of the staff is centrally controlled. Thus the manager of the reserve does not have a free hand.

The sanctioned posts of Forest Guards are only 54 while there are 62 beats in the Reserve. Even if all the posts are filled up, 8 remain vacant.

Bandhavgarh attracts a lot of tourists but there is no special staff to manage tourism. The field staff has to devote time for tourism management.

The reserve has equipment like computers but no special posts have been sanctioned. Thus management faces a great difficulty in utilising and maintaining the equipment.

Funds
Sufficient funds are not available under non-plan for office expenses, protection, maintenance of roads and buildings. This is the head, where management needs more but gets less.

Infrastructure
Buildings are still inadequate in some of the ranges. Range officer quarter and office building at Panpatha, six Range Assistants’ quarters, ten Forest Guard quarters and camp
residence and camp office for Field Director and Deputy Director are urgently required. Road network needs a lot of improvement in order to make all areas approachable during all weathers. Many of the wireless sets are old and need replacement for efficient control. Four jeeps are required for patrolling purpose at the Range level. One tractor with water tanker is urgently required for transporting water at the fire sites.

Hostel facility for the families of the staff working in interior areas, has to be developed at Manpur and Umaria.

Grazing
There are about 100 villages around the Reserve. These villages lack any good grazing ground for their cattle. Thus there exists a tremendous grazing pressure on the Reserve.

Besides 2500 cattle heads of the six villages located the Park, about 26,000 cattle population of surrounding villages cause immense pressure of grazing on the Park. Only, 10,048 cattle heads of 34 surrounding villages are permitted to graze legally in 44 compartments i.e. 101 sq.km. area of the extended park. Now and then, they do graze illegally in other parts also.

Fire
Summer fires are frequent. Although these are ground fires and do not significantly harm the trees. Human settlements in and around is the main cause of these fires.

Poaching of fauna and flora
Poaching of wild animals inside the core area is almost non-existent, but animals moving out frequently, do get killed occasionally by the villagers. There are two main reasons for the situation. First, some communities have been killing and eating wild animals since ages and they have yet not changed their thinking. Secondly, the buffer zone is under the control of territorial DFOs. The management and the staff of buffer zone are not wildlife conservation oriented. Poachers take advantage of the situation.

Human Population
The old area of Bandhavgarh National Park is free of habitation. There are six villages in extended part of the park and eight in the Panpatha Sanctuary. Besides this the National Park is surrounded by 62 villages, which have direct impact on the protected area by way of grazing, M.F.P. collection, fires and poaching.

Livestock population
There are 6965 cattle heads in 14 villages located inside the reserve. Besides this about 50,000 cattle heads from the surrounding villages put a lot of pressure on the reserve. Most of them are unproductive and are ever increasing in number.

Criminals and Extremists None
Highways
Two P.W.D. roads namely, Umaria-Rewa and Parasi-Katni via Khitauli, pass through the Reserve. There is a lot of vehicular movement on these roads, even during the night. Numerous animals get killed in road accidents.

Diseases None
Encroachment None

Conflicts

Man-Animal
Crop Damage: Herbivores do move out for raiding the cultivated areas of the adjoining villages. Tigers also move out during monsoon and lift livestock. Crop raiding by wild animals is the main reason for conflicts.

Cattle Lifting: Livestock also forms part of tiger prey. During monsoon, tigers move close to the villages and lift livestock. This is more common in Panpatha Sanctuary because most of the area is under grazing by the cattle of eight villages located inside it and also cattle from the surrounding villages. Compensation is paid immediately as per rules, if any cattle is killed by Tiger or Leopard in area open for grazing.

Man-Forest
Grazing is the main area of conflict. Sporadic theft cases of timber, bamboo and M.F.P.are also reported.

Wild Animal-Forest
Few grasslands, e.g. Bathan, show signs of over grazing by herbivores. No specific
conflict is seen as such. Wherever there is over grazing due to high density of herbivores, rotational grazing has been started with the help of enclosure of chain-link fencing.

Action Points

Funds
Water regime development needs to be carried out during April to June. This is the time when the management is without any allotment. Unspent amounts from the previous financial year should be automatically revalidated for this period to carry out the said works.

The Tiger reserve has network of forest roads of 452 km. They are repaired every year, but due to paucity of funding, they are not maintained properly. Most of the funds are consumed by the repair/maintenance of roads in the tourist zone only. Besides being channels of communication, roads act as fire-lines also. Their maintenance is essential.

There are 146 buildings in the Reserve. Most of the buildings are in bad shape for want of maintenance. The maintenance funds are not adequate. Residential buildings for Deputy Director and A.C.F. at Umaria, R.O. Panpatha and three Range Assistants are urgently required. Camp office for Field Director and Deputy Director is also urgently needed at Tala.

Vehicles
There are three gypsies, one jeep, one truck, one Mahindra Pick-up and four motor cycles in the reserve. The jeep, the pick-up and the four motor cycles are very old and need frequent repairs. Therefore, these need to be replaced. In view of the pressure of poaching and other illegal activities around the reserve, at least one gypsy each must be given to all ranges for patrolling and other activities. One tractor with tanker, eight motor cycles and three gypsies are required for proper control.

Staff
To make the wildlife service more attractive, special incentives/rewards and out-of-turn promotions should be considered. Making it compulsory to serve in the wildlife area for 5 years between the age of 30-35 years should also be considered. Special pay for all staff including the Field Director needs to be enhanced to at least 30 per cent of the basic pay.