Home to one of the most majestic animals in the world besides abundant flora and fauna, the Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra has received the designation of India’s First Dark Sky Park and the fifth in Asia. Now, the sky above the area stands protected from light pollution. Star-gazers and specifically, astrophiles will now have access to a pristine, star-sprangled sky as the expanse within and around the tiger reserve has been earmarked to prevent light pollution.
Key Facts- Pench National Park And Tiger Reserve
- Location: Located in the southern region of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh, it spreads into Nagpur district in Maharashtra to form separate sanctuary for wildlife.
- Named after the Pench, a tributary of the Kanhan river, it flows from north to south through the Pench National Park.
- It is made up of the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary, and a buffer zone.
- The area of the Pench Tiger Reserve and the surrounding area is the inspiration behind the classic and all-time favourite of generations, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.
- The terrain is undulating covered by small hills and steep slopes on the sides.
- The undulating topography supports a mosaic of vegetation from a moist sheltered valley to an open, dry deciduous forest.
- Full of natural beauty and richness, the reserve boasts a diverse range of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
- The area is especially famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
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- There are over 325 species of resident and migratory birds, including the Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Osprey, Asian openbill, Jungle owlet, Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, White-Eyed Buzzard and others.
- The key predator is the Royal Bengal Tiger. Other animals include the black panther, Indian leopard, striped Hyena, Wild dog, jackal, and fox.
What Is Dark Sky Designation ?
It is an approval given to the sky area of a certain region subject to its meeting specific criteria by the International Dark-Sky Association.
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is a United States-based non-profit organization established in 1988 by founders David Crawford, a professional astronomer, and Tim Hunter, a physician and amateur astronomer. The mission of the IDA is “to preserve and protect the night time environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting.” IDA’s principal approach is to raise awareness about the value of dark, star-filled night skies and encourage their protection and restoration through education about the problems and solutions, including outdoor lighting practices that create less light pollution. In 2011, the organization had about 5,000 members in 70 countries.
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