Threats

1. Those arising out of need. These are :

• collection of fuel wood for bonafide domestic use;

• collection of M.F.P. for use of villagers themselves

• unemployment and under-employment, coupled with general poverty, drag people to forest;

• tradition of cattle rearing – villagers cannot say absolute NO to cattle – and they do not know stall feeding

• enclaved habitations – people have been there for centuries.

2. Those arising out of greed. These are:

• timber theft – for sale;

• forest fire – beliefs that summer season forest fire produces better quality grasses, removes some of bad omens, cures illnesses, etc;

• least concern for wild animals – they are game, meant for shooting, recreation and poaching;

• lack of awareness – environmental, moral scientific;

• practice of keeping large hers of cattle (called dhan) – with no responsibility as to feed them – forests have pastures;

3. A third category of problems is purely management related and concerns PA’s in particular:

• crop depredation by wild animals;

• water scarcity in summers;

• question of enhancing the population of carnivores and herbivores and then arriving at a ‘balance’;

• there are numerous old pedestrian paths and short routes to various places within and across the park;

• lack of nature education among masses in general;

• disoriented staff

The estimation is coming to more realistic figures as a result of refinement in census techniques over the years. This has been made possible by training of the field staff in census methodology and with their experience of working in the typical terrain.  

All India Tiger Monitoring exercise undertaken on the direction of the Ministry of Environment an Forests by the Wildlife Institute of India in association with National Tiger Conservation Authority, MOEF, Government of India, and the State Forest Departments.

The current monitoring system for tigers. co-predators, prey and their habitat transcends beyond generating mere numbers. It is a holistic approach which uses the tiger as an umbrella species to monitor some of the major components of forest systems where the tiger occurs in India.

Panna landscape covers an area of 3500 km² and has 2 discrete tiger occupied areas of 787 km² and 187 km². The larger population of Panna Tiger Reserve and its surrounds sustains 24 (+ 1 se range 15-32) tigers. The smaller population is relict comprising of 1-2 tigers likely sustained by north eastern dispersal of tigers from Panna.       

This is one of the most injurious elements for the depletion of forests. Fires are common all over in summer. They start in the month of January and continue till the first monsoon shower i.e. early June in this tract. However, in the months of April and May when the temperature goes very high and the humidity is very low, incidences of fire are at their peak. The forests are dry deciduous and therefore the fires are mostly surface fires - the fire burns leaves, twigs and other fuels on forest floor. Majority of the fires are man made. They are generally caused by the negligence of the passers by.

Regular maintenance of fire lines, early detection and control of wild fires and compulsory reporting of fire cases are some of the important steps taken to bring down the net area burnt every year and net reduction in habitat damage from fires. In the process the density of vegetation has improved over the years. Grasses have become more palatable. Fruit bearing trees and shrubs have also grown adequately. Herbivores are sighted easily both in the interior as also on the periphery of the park.  
 

Fire watch tower	Fire Monitoring Hut
Round the clock watch

In recognition therefore, WWF Tiger Conservation Programme-India awarded a certificate of merit and a cash award of Rs. 50,000/- to Panna Tiger Reserve for saving the forest from fire in 1999.

Most wild animals will only stay in a given area if there is water, and for this reason it is called a "limiting resource" because it can limit the number of animals. In the dry deciduous area water is a precious resource for wildlife. Areas within the park that are presently inhabited by people have some perennial source of water.

The Ken river in whose catchment the national park is situated, is a major tributary of the Yamuna. Although the water reduces in the river during summer but it is never completely dry. The springs along the escarpments are perennial and are fed by aquifers draining into crevices along the escarpments. The monsoon rains are the only source of water for a large part of the park.

Development of water sources is being done through the construction of check dams and contour trenching so that water is available in the lean period. Creation and deepening of water holes is also done is suitable areas on a year to year basis.  

Water regime is showing signs of improvement as water stays longer in water holes mainly as a result of soil and water conservation works.

Water as a lifeline for the animals in Panna Tiger Reserve

Ecodevelopment programme was started in Panna National Park in 1995. Till now, 14 E.D.Cs have been formed and by virtue of that better coordination between staff and people have been achieved. Fourteen forest ecodevelopment committees have been formed around the park with the initiative of the park management. Of these nine committees were taken up under the M.P. Forestry Project for Ecodevelopment. The other are being strengthen from other sources locally.

Of the 13 villages situated in the National Park, the proposal to shift 8 3 villages got approved by Govt. of India. Out of the 8 villages  namely, Pipartola, Surajpura and Mota Chowkan have been successfully relocated with the consent of villagers in the year 2007.

S.No	Post	No.
1.	Conservator of forests (WL) & Field Director	01
2.	Deputy Director	01
3	Veterinarian	01
4	Asst. Director	02
5	Range Officer	06
6	Deputy Ranger	03
7	Game Supervisor	10
8	Game Guard	60
9	Barrier checking Guard	08

We Love Our Panna Tigers and Panna People