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Early History – Pre-Colonial and Colonial Era

Pench’s lush teak forests and riverine ecosystems have been significant for centuries, serving as a resource-rich region under local rulers and later British colonial authorities.

• Pre-Colonial Period: The Pench region was part of the Gondwana kingdom, with tribal communities like the Gonds relying on the forests for sustenance, hunting, and timber, coexisting with wildlife such as tigers and leopards.
• Colonial Exploitation: During British rule (19th century), the forests were heavily exploited for teak, used in railway construction and shipbuilding. Unregulated hunting by British officials and local royalty depleted wildlife populations, including tigers and deer.
• Princely Hunting Grounds: The area, under the princely states of Nagpur and Rewa, served as a private hunting reserve for maharajas, who organized large-scale hunts, further impacting the region’s biodiversity.

Initial Conservation Efforts – 1960s to 1970s

The mid-20th century marked the beginning of conservation efforts in Pench, as India recognized the need to protect its dwindling wildlife and forest resources.

• Wildlife Sanctuary Status (1965): The Pench region was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1965 under the Wildlife Protection Act, covering 449.39 km² in Madhya Pradesh, to curb hunting and protect species like tigers, leopards, and gaurs.
• Reserved Forest Designation: Prior to sanctuary status, parts of Pench were declared reserved forests under the Indian Forest Act of 1927, limiting commercial logging and grazing to preserve the teak-dominated ecosystem.
• Early Challenges: Despite protective measures, poaching and human-wildlife conflict persisted, driven by local communities’ dependence on forest resources and inadequate enforcement.

Project Tiger and National Park Status – 1970s to 1990s

Pench’s transformation into a national park and tiger reserve was a pivotal moment, aligning with India’s ambitious Project Tiger initiative to save the endangered Bengal tiger.

• Project Tiger Inclusion (1977): Pench was included in Project Tiger in 1977, one of the early tiger reserves, focusing on conserving the region’s tiger population, which had dwindled due to poaching and habitat loss. Villages within the core area were relocated to reduce human pressure.
• National Park Status (1983): The Madhya Pradesh portion (252.67 km²) was declared Pench National Park in 1983, with stricter regulations banning grazing and forest produce collection to protect its core habitat.
• Maharashtra Expansion (1992): The Maharashtra side, covering 257.26 km², was also declared a national park in 1992, forming a contiguous tiger reserve across state borders, totaling ~1,180 km² with buffer zones by 2020.

Modern Conservation and Eco-Tourism – 2000s Onwards

Pench National Park is now a global conservation success story, celebrated for its thriving tiger population and eco-tourism initiatives, while balancing community needs.

• Conservation Success: By 2022, Pench (Madhya Pradesh) supported ~53 tigers, with Maharashtra’s side hosting ~40, per the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Anti-poaching patrols and habitat restoration, including waterhole management, have boosted prey species like chital and sambar.
• Eco-Tourism Growth: Pench attracts thousands of visitors annually, with jeep safaris in zones like Turia and Karmajhiri (Madhya Pradesh) and Sillari (Maharashtra), offering sightings of tigers, leopards, and birds like Malabar pied hornbills. Eco-lodges and community-based tourism support local economies.
• Cultural and Literary Legacy: The park’s connection to The Jungle Book, with landmarks like Alikatta village inspiring Kipling’s settings, adds a literary charm, while tribal communities like the Gonds contribute to its cultural richness through pottery and festivals.