Overview
Pench National Park is located in Madhya Pradesh, spanning the districts of Seoni and Chhindwara, near the Maharashtra border. It evolved from a sanctuary to a national park and is nestled in the lower southern region, featuring hilly terrain and lush teak forests. The park is part of the Satpura hills and is named after the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the park, serving as a lifeline for its tigers. Pench National Park is one of India’s most popular wildlife sanctuaries, attracting numerous wildlife enthusiasts each year due to its rich biodiversity and adventure opportunities.
The Pench Tiger Reserve, part of Central India, lies among the serene mountains of the Satpura range. While it may not be as famous as Bandhavgarh or Kanha, Pench has a dedicated following. The Meghdoot Dam on the Pench River at Totladoh creates a 72 sq. km. water body shared between Madhya Pradesh (54 sq. km.) and Maharashtra (18 sq. km.).
The main attraction at Pench is the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to the latest census, the reserve has 53 to 75 tigers, with around 80 more in the buffer area. The enchanting story of Mowgli and Sher Khan from “The Jungle Book” was inspired by this forest. Due to excellent conservation efforts by forest officials, Pench is known as one of the best-managed parks in Madhya Pradesh. The BBC documentary “Tiger – Spy in The Jungle” brought even more attention to Pench. Captain J. Forsyth, a naturalist, also wrote extensively about the Satpura region’s nature reserves, drawing wildlife enthusiasts to the area.