Tadoba National Park

Tadoba National Park, national park in eastern Maharashtra state, western India. It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1935 and declared a national park in 1955. The Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1986. The park and the sanctuary were merged to create the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in 1995. The area of the tiger reserve, including the areas of the national park and wildlife sanctuary, is 242 square miles (625.4 square km). The national park itself extends over an area of 45 square miles (117 square km).

The flora of Tadoba consists of dense forests of teak (Tectona grandis), sal (Shorea robusta), margosa (Azadirachta indica), mahua (Madhuca longifolia), and mango (Mangifera indica), interspersed with lakes, rocky cliffs, meadows, and plains. Stretches of bamboo thickets are found around Tadoba Lake, which is one of the principle water bodies of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and is located at the center of Tadoba National Park. Other important water bodies in the reserve include the Kolsa Lake, the Jamni Lake, and the Andhari River.

According to some records, there are 41 species of mammals, 30 species of reptiles, 5 species of amphibians, 74 species of butterflies, 26 species of spiders, and 23 species of fishes in Tadoba. Among large mammals, tigers, leopards, chital (spotted deer), jackals, gaurs (Indian bison), mouse deer, sambars, four-horned antelopes, nilgai, barking deer, sloth bears, and wild dogs called dholes can be found there. Reptiles including the Indian star tortoise, monitor lizards, pythons, and marsh crocodiles call Tadoba their home. About 195 species of birds have also been documented in the park, notable among which are the paradise flycatcher, gray-headed fish eagle, crested serpent eagle, and changeable hawk-eagle. A network of roads and observation towers facilitates wildlife viewing. Chandrapur, the nearest city, is about 28 miles (45 km) south of the park.