Two Spectacular destinations in Sidhi- Bagdara wildlife and Son Gharial Sanctuary
Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary
Bagdara wildlife sanctuary lies in the eastern region of Madhya Pradesh and is known for its tiger habitat region. The forest is spread over Vindhya ranges and plains in the Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh state. Its name Bagdara comprises “Bagh” which means Tiger and “Dara” which means home thus the overall meaning is “home of tigers”. The wildlife sanctuary was established in the year 1978 when Project Tiger was already launched in India to save tigers along with their natural habitat.
Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area that covers an area of 478.61 square kilometres. The sanctuary is known for its diverse wildlife, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, hyenas, sambar deer, chital, barking deer, and more than 250 species of birds. The vegetation in the sanctuary is mainly composed of mixed deciduous forests and bamboo forests.
Travellers can enjoy various activities in the sanctuary, such as trekking, bird watching, and wildlife safari. The best time to visit Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary is between November and June when the weather is pleasant, and the chances of spotting wildlife are higher.
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How to Reach Bagdara wildlife sanctuary
The nearest railway station to the Bagdara wildlife sanctuary is Singrauli, which is about 25 km away. From Singrauli, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach the park.
Son Gharial Sanctuary
Son Gharial Sanctuary was established under Project Crocodile for Gharial conservation and population growth. An altogether length of 210 km encompassing lengths of 161 km of Son river, 23 km of Banas river, and 26 km of Gopad River was declared as a sanctuary in 1981. Son Gharial Sanctuary was established in 1981 to protect the endangered Gharial, a species of crocodile found in the Indian subcontinent.
The sanctuary is home to a significant population of Gharials, as well as other species of fauna such as Indian flapshell turtles, smooth-coated otters, Indian Skimmer and a variety of fish species. About 101 species of birds registered in the sanctuary make it rich in aquatic and avifaunal biodiversity. Visitors can observe these animals in their natural habitat by taking a boat ride on the Son River.
The best time to visit Son Gharial Sanctuary is between October and March when the weather is pleasant and the chances of spotting the Gharials are higher. However, the sanctuary is closed during the monsoon season, from July to September, due to the flooding of the Son River.
How to Reach
The nearest railhead to reach Son Gharial Sanctuary is Pendra Road at a distance of 17 km from the Amarkantka . Anuppur at distance of 48 km from Amarkantak is also convenient for the tourists. There are state owned transport buses from Pendra Road, Shahdol and Bilaspur to Reach Amarkantak
