National Parks & Wildlife — Set 11

Correct Answer: B. Barasingha (Swamp deer)

Kanha National Park is credited with saving the hard-ground Barasingha (Cervus duvaucelii branderi), also called the swamp deer, from extinction. The population of Barasingha had dwindled to fewer than 66 animals in the 1970s before intensive conservation efforts at Kanha brought their numbers back to over 800 today. The Barasingha is the state animal of Madhya Pradesh and Kanha is the only place in the world where this hard-ground subspecies survives. Kanha became one of India's first tiger reserves under Project Tiger in 1973.

Correct Answer: C. Tiger

Bandhavgarh National Park in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh is renowned for having one of the highest densities of Bengal tigers in any forest reserve in the world. The park was historically the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Rewa. The famous white tigers of Rewa, including Mohan the white tiger captured in 1951, were found in this region. Bandhavgarh became a Tiger Reserve in 1993 and covers an area of about 1,598 sq km including the core and buffer zones.

Correct Answer: B. Maharashtra

Pench National Park straddles the border between Madhya Pradesh (Seoni and Chhindwara districts) and Maharashtra (Nagpur district). The park takes its name from the Pench River that flows through it. Rudyard Kipling used the forests of Seoni along the Wainganga River as the setting for his famous stories in 'The Jungle Book', featuring the boy Mowgli and animals like Bagheera, Shere Khan, and Baloo. Pench Tiger Reserve in MP was established in 1992 and was declared a National Park in 1983.

Correct Answer: B. Walking safaris and boat safaris

Satpura National Park is unique among Indian national parks for allowing walking safaris and boat safaris along the Denwa River, providing an immersive wildlife experience. The park covers about 524 sq km in Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram) district and is part of the larger Satpura Tiger Reserve. The park is home to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wolves, gaur, and over 300 species of birds. Satpura was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1999 and is part of the UNESCO-designated Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve.

Correct Answer: C. Panna

Panna National Park is located in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, which is famous as the only district in India with natural diamond mines. The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) operates diamond mining at Majhgawan near Panna. The park covers about 576 sq km along the Ken River gorge and is part of the larger Panna Tiger Reserve. Panna faced a major crisis between 2009-2011 when its entire tiger population became locally extinct, but successful translocation efforts restored the tiger population.

Correct Answer: B. British Viceroys and senior officials

Madhav National Park (formerly Shivpuri National Park) in Shivpuri was established in 1958 and was historically used as a game reserve and hunting ground by British Viceroys and senior colonial officials. The park covers about 375 sq km and is notable for its lakes, including Madhav Sagar and Sakhya Sagar. The park contains Chhatris (memorial structures) of the Scindia rulers who also hunted here. Madhav NP is home to chinkara, nilgai, cheetah (historically), tigers, and numerous bird species.

Correct Answer: C. Dindori

The Fossil National Park, also known as Ghughua Fossil Park or Sannakheda Fossil Park, is located in Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh. The park protects one of the world's largest and most diverse collections of plant fossils dating back approximately 65 million years to the Late Cretaceous period. The fossils include petrified wood, seeds, and leaves of ancient tropical trees including ancestors of modern palms and cycads. The park is unique in being the only one in India established to protect paleontological heritage.

Correct Answer: C. Kanha

Kanha Tiger Reserve was one of the first nine tiger reserves established in India when Project Tiger was launched in 1973 under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Project Tiger was initiated to reverse the dramatic decline of tiger populations caused by hunting and habitat loss. Kanha National Park, established in 1955, was included in the inaugural Project Tiger reserves due to its significant tiger population and prime habitat. Today India has over 50 tiger reserves and MP with six such reserves has the highest number of tigers among all states.

Correct Answer: D. Six

Madhya Pradesh has six Project Tiger Reserves: Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura, Panna, and Sanjay-Dubri. The state is consistently ranked first or second in India for its tiger population according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) censuses. The 2022 tiger census estimated over 785 tigers in Madhya Pradesh, earning it the title 'Tiger State of India'. The state's extensive forest cover, multiple wildlife corridors, and strong conservation efforts have contributed to this success.

Correct Answer: B. Sidhi and Singrauli

The Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve is spread across Sidhi and Singrauli districts in eastern Madhya Pradesh. The reserve was formed by combining the Sanjay National Park and the Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve covers an area of about 2,542 sq km and is part of a larger forested landscape that connects to the forests of Chhattisgarh. The reserve is relatively less visited compared to Kanha or Bandhavgarh but has a significant wildlife population including tigers, leopards, gaur, and sloth bears.