Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Six tiger reserves, including the famous Kanha national park in Madhya Pradesh, will remain closed for three months in light of the monsoon season, an official said on Thursday.
While the core areas of these reserves have been closed for three months, the buffer zones will be open for tourism activities, Madhya Pradesh principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Alok Kumar said.
"The core areas of the six tiger reserves have been closed for three months. However, the buffer areas of the reserves will remain open for tourism activities. The cores area will reopen on October 1," the official said.
The tiger reserves are closed during monsoon, as it is the breeding season for the big cats.
Moreover, the pathways in the reserves become unmotorable because of the rains, and the infrastructure in these parks, like grasslands, were developed for animals during this period.
The monsoon patrolling in the protected area would continue, the official said.
Madhya Pradesh had the highest number of 526 big cats in the country, according to the last tiger census. The All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 had found the presence of 2,967 tigers in the country.
The state is home to Kanha, Banghavgarh, Satpura, Pench, Panna and Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve.
