Kanha, the best national park in Asia, comprises parts of the
Mandla,
Balaghat,
Kawardha and
Dindori districts of
Madhya Pradesh. It is 165 km from
Jabalpur and covers an area of 1,945 sq km. This park is located in the Maikal hills of the Satpura hill range. This area was declared a sanctuary in the year 1933, as a National Park in 1955 and a tiger reserve in 1975.
Kanha is internationally famous for its rich floral and faunal attributes. Tiger, bison, gaur, sambar, chital, barasingha, barking deer, black deer, black buck and leopard are the main attractions. The last remaining population of the Swamp Deer is found here. There are over 200 of avian species including storks, teals, pintails, pond herons, egrets, peacock, peafowl and jungle fowl.
The scenic features are thick forests, wide-ranging meadows and trees, clumps of wild bamboo and streams. Two main rivers, Halon in the east and Banjar in the west nourish the park. The climate of the park is moderate. November-June are ideal for visiting the park; the best period is February-April.
