Conservation Issues & WWF-India interventions

The rapid growth of human populations on the periphery of the Panna Tiger Reserve is an area of concern. This has led to an additional demand for cultivable land, grazing area, water and forest produce. Levels of unemployment and education are also high.

There is severe grazing pressure on the tiger reserve due to the high cattle population in the areas adjoining the reserve.

Man-animal conflict is also an issue with the main source of conflict being crop 
depredation by the herbivores of the reserve.

Poaching is of significant concern as the reserve lost almost all its tigers in 2009 due to the menace. Much of the poaching here is attributed to the Pardi community. 

Mining for diamonds and sandstone, along the tiger reserve’s periphery is another area of grave concern. Mining releases industrial waste into streams that ultimately flow into the Ken River harming the wildlife and habitat.

WWF-India has supported Panna since 2003 when winter jackets were distributed among the staff. Since then, the support has included materials like wireless handsets, solar panels, remote surveillance systems apart from a tractor, truck and vehicles.

WWF-India has also been closely working with authorities in providing education to kids of Pardi (or Pardhi) tribe. The Pardis are traditional hunters who are thought to be behind many poaching incidents in and around Panna Tiger Reserve in the recent past. Along with other support to Panna, rehabilitation of Pardis into mainstream society is critical for the survival of wildlife not only in Panna but also many other parks across the nation.

WWF-India also supported the Madhya Pradesh state government and the forest department in the translocation of two female tigers to the tiger reserve in 2009.