Deer and Antelope Species in Madhya Pradesh
The parks and sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh are home to various species of deer and antelopes, including sambhar, chital, barking deer, chinkara, chousingha, nilgai and mouse deer.
Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) stands almost a metre high at the shoulder and weighs between 25 to 35 kgs. They can be easily recognised by their distinctive horns which are ringed with 1 to 4 spiral turns, and grow as long as 79 cms. The upper body in males is black while in females it is light brown. Females do not have horns.
Chital (Axis axis) is the most common species of deer in the forests of Madhya Pradesh. Its coat is reddish fawn, marked with white spots while it’s under parts are white. Its antlers, which it sheds annually, are usually three-pronged and may grow up to 75 cms. A chital stands about a metre tall at the shoulder and weighs about 85 kgs.
Chinkara (GazeIla bennettii)z or Indian Gazelle is found throughout the country and stands almost a quarter of a metre high at the shoulder and weighs around 25 kgs. The chinkara’s coat changes with the season: in summers, it sports a reddish buff, glossy coat, while in the winters its white underside and throat fur stand in greater contrast to the rest of the body.
Sambhar (Cervus unicolor) is a large species of deer found across the Indian subcontinent which is known to attain a height of 1.5-2 m at the shoulder and weigh as much as 500 kgs.
The Vindhya and Satpura ranges run across Madhya Pradesh, from west to east, dividing the state into different geographical regions. The Vindhyas are noted to be one of the oldest mountain ranges in India, dividing the Indian subcontinent into northern and southern India. While the Bundelkhand and Malwa plateau fall north of the Vindhyas, the Chambal ravines lie in the northwest. Also Visit – Madhya Pradesh Tour Packages
In the northeast of Madhya Pradesh, lies the hilly Baghelkhand region, which is part of the eastern end of the Vindhya Range. The Nimar region, in the southwestern part of the state, lies to the south of the Vindhyas. Mahakaushal is the southeastern portion of the state, with Jabalpur as the biggest city of this region.
Two great central Indian River basins – the Narmada and Tapti form the watershed of the state. The Narmada valley divides the central Vindhya and Satpura region. Though the Yamuna does not enter Madhya Pradesh, its basin stretches up to the northern part of the state.
The subtropical climate, hot dry summer followed by monsoon rains and a dry cold winter supports large scale teak, sal and bamboo forests across the state along with mixed forests which include amaltas, aonla, bija, dhaora, gamhar, haldu, khair, kardhai, kulu, lendia, salai and saja.
The central, southern and eastern parts of the state have a better forest cover than the northern and western parts. Sal and teak are the two important timber species of the state. According to Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, sal forests, that are largely to he found in the eastern and central part of the state, occupy an area of 7,244 sq km, which is 7.6% of the total forest area of the bustard state. Teak, somewhat less conspicuous, is found in the southern and western districts. Both trees rise to great heights (30-40 m) and yield hardwood which has been used in construction for centuries.
Apart from these the state forests are a repository of medicinal trees and plants such as chironji, butterfly-pea, shatavari and sarpagandha, to name a few. Sarpagandha, an important herb, is used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.
In Wild Trail in Madhya Pradesh, for ease of navigation, the national parks and sanctuaries have been grouped around the five major cities of the state – Gwalior in the north, Khajuraho in northeast, Bhopal in the centre, and Jabalpur and Indore in south east and south west, respectively. These five cities have been identified as hubs from where the visitor can easily take a flight, train or just simply drive, to the nearby parks and sanctuaries. Enjoy the ‘heart of India.’
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