SANJAY DUBRI

Located just 90 kms from Bandhavgarh, straddling the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve is a testament to the untamed beauty of India's wilderness and a crucial chapter in the country's conservation narrative.

It is not only renowned for its diverse wildlife and dense forests but also for the huge water bodies that meander through its terrain.

The first white tiger “MOHAN” was captured in this forest by the Maharaja of Rewa in 1951 . He was later reared in an enclosure in Govindgarh and bred to one of his own daughters, Radha.

She delivered the first white tigers in captivity, and most of the white tigers present in the zoo across the world are their descendants.

This relatively lesser-known reserve is part of the larger Sanjay Gandhi National Park, not to be confused with the urban park in Mumbai.

The Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve was officially recognized as a tiger reserve in 2008, underlining its importance in the broader efforts to protect and conserve the Bengal tiger population in India.

The reserve encompasses the Sanjay National Park and the Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.The Guru Ghasidas National Park, which is situated in Chhattisgarh, shares its jungle with Sanjay National Park.

The designation of this area as a tiger reserve was a critical step in ensuring the protection of its diverse ecosystems, which range from dense forests to grasslands, providing a haven for various species.

This tiger reserve’s landscape is largely characterized by dense Sal forest along with some areas of Bamboo and grasslands.

This diverse habitat supports a wide range of animal species.

Besides the Bengal tiger, the reserve is home to other carnivores such as leopards, wild dogs (dholes), spotted hyena, Indian wolf, Bengal fox and sloth bears.

The herbivore population includes the gaur (Indian bison), sambar, chital (spotted deer), chinkara, barking deer and nilgai (blue bull), which play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance.

For wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers looking to explore this hidden gem, the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve offers a serene and less commercialized wildlife experience.