Mapping:
Source: LM
Context: Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has been designated as India’s first Dark Sky Park, the fifth in Asia, aimed at preserving the night sky and combating light pollution.
Recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), this status emphasizes the importance of natural darkness for ecological integrity and community well-being. The Dark Sky Place certification involves lighting policy, retrofits, education, and night sky monitoring.
About the Pench Tiger Reserve:
| Key Points | Details |
| About | Located in Nagpur District, Maharashtra, named after Pench River. The river divides the park into equal eastern and western parts. |
| Declared National Park in 1975, became a tiger reserve in 1998-1999. Major Protected Area in Satpura-Maikal ranges. Designated Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. | |
| The reserve, spanning Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, is known for its tiger conservation efforts and inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. | |
| Flora | Dense green cover with Southern dry broadleaf teak forests and tropical mixed deciduous forests. Presence of shrubs, climbers, and unique medicinal plants. Bamboo plantations near water banks. |
| Fauna Mammals | Sloth bear, jackal, nilgai, wild dog, among others. |
| Fauna Birds | Peafowl, magpie robin, pintail, drongo, unia, myna, and various other bird species. |
