Kanha Tiger Reserve is a premier wildlife conservation institution in India, located in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is a Tiger Reserve and a National Park, spanning a core area of 940 sq. km and a buffer zone of over 1,000 sq. km. The reserve's history began in 1879 when the area was first declared a forest reserve, followed by its designation as a wildlife sanctuary in 1933. It was officially established as Kanha National Park in 1955.
The reserve's current status was cemented in 1973 when it became one of the first nine reserves included under Project Tiger, a landmark government initiative to protect the endangered tiger population. This designation was crucial for solving the problem of dwindling tiger numbers due to hunting and habitat destruction.
Kanha's management mechanism is governed by the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which provides the legal framework for its protection. The reserve is managed under the oversight of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body created by the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2006. The NTCA is responsible for approving the Tiger Conservation Plan prepared by the State Government under Section 38V of the Act and ensuring that the reserve is not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses. Kanha is renowned for its successful conservation of the hard-ground barasingha (swamp deer), which was once near extinction, and for its pioneering work in habitat restoration and anti-poaching measures. The management has also involved the voluntary relocation of villages from the core area to reduce human-wildlife conflict. The reserve connects directly to the broader Project Tiger scheme and the legal provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which mandates the creation and management of Tiger Reserves.