Conservation History of Pench National Park

The Pench National Park in the borders of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra is one of the most well known of wildlife sanctuaries in India. Spread over around 273 sq. kms of tropical deciduous forests, there is a rich conservation history of the Pench National Park.

It was included under the ‘Tiger Conservation Project’ in 1992 when the Pench Tiger Reserve was created, which became the 19th Tiger Reserve of the world. The wildlife conservation in Pench National Park is carried out through vast areas of reserve forests, protected forest areas and buffer zones. The total reserve area at the Pench national park is 273 sq km.

The Conservation History of Pench National Park

In 1951, the Bombay Wild Animals and wild birds Act was established which was extended to the Vidarbha region since 1961. It prohibited hunting every year from April to the end of October. It also asked for registration of arm license holders with the Wildlife Preservation Officer. The Government of Maharashtra soon declared the area as the Pench National Park while the Indian Government declared it the Pench Tiger Reserve in 1992. This was aimed to maintain a healthy tiger population.