Bandhavgarh National Park
Website: https://bandhavgarhtigerreserve.org/
The diverse mix of habitats in Bandhavgarh supports a corresponding plentitude of fauna. Its luxuriantly rich ecosystem provides amply for everyone – from the tiny butterflies to the majestic tigers. The park has earned a worldwide reputation for tigers and their unusually high density here is a pleasant surprise for wildlife lovers.
According to bio-geographic classification, the park area lies in the zone 6A-Deccan peninsula, Central highlands. The important prey species consists of chital, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, langur and rhesus macaque.
Dependent upon them are the major predators like tiger, leopard, wild dog, wolf and jackal. The lesser predators are fox, jungle cat, ratel, palm civet, and mongoose. Besides them, other mammalians present are sloth bear, porcupine, Indian Pangolin, variety of bats including the giant fruit bat, Indian tree shrew, and many other species of rodents. The avifauna is also well represented. More than 250 species of birds have been recorded with the park.
The raptors are mainly represented by crested serpent eagle, shaheen falcon, bonnelli’s eagle, shikra, marsh and hen harriers
There is a good population of malabar pied hornbill, particularly in the fort and its vicinity. Peafowls, painted and grey partridge, red jungle fowl, sarus crane, lesser adjutant stork, large racket tailed drongo, brown fish owl, paradise flycatcher, green pigeon are quite common here.
Bandhavgarh, with its abundance of streams, marshes, woodland edges and wild flowers, is a paradise for butterflies. Over 70 species have been recorded here which include the common rose, blue tiger, striped tiger, great eggfly, common crow, common and mottled emigrant, spot swordtail, peacock pansy and orange oakleaf. Water pools and marshlands are the abode of dragonflies and damselflies.