Context:
Recently, Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh declared the 58th Tiger Reserve of Indiaand the 9th of Madhya Pradesh.
- India is home to more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population with 3,682 tigers.
- The tiger conservation journey in India evolved from initial bans on hunting and trade to multifaceted conservation strategies involving legal frameworks, international cooperation and community engagement.
About Madhav National Park
- It was the hunting ground of Mughal emperors and Maharaja of Gwalior.
- It got the status of a National Park in 1958.
- It is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act that came into effect in the year 1972.
- It is situated on the northern fringe of the Central Highlands of Upper Vindhyan Hills intermixed with plateaus, and valley sections of Madhya Pradesh in Shivpuri District.
- The Park has a diverse ecosystem comprising lakes, forests and grasslands.
- The Park has Sakhya Sagar and Madhav Sagar lakes in the southern part.
- Sind river flows forming the catchment along the eastern boundary of the park.
- In this region the soil is shallow, sandy loam, and well-drained and the Lateritic zone is covered by red soil with stony concretions.
- Flora:
- It represents the Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Mixed Forest type as well as Dry Thorn Forests typical of North-Western Madhya Pradesh.
- The forests of the park mainly consist of Kardhai, Khair, salai, dhaora, nirguri and siarkanta.
- Fauna:
It includes antelopes like Nilgai, Blackbuck, Chinkara and Chowsingha and deer including Chital, Sambar and Barking deer, etc.