Kanha National Park is one of the first nine,
Tiger Reserve constituted in our country when "Project Tiger" was
initially launched way back in 1973.
There present Park area encompasses two important valleys vix the Banjar and
the Halon.
In 1935, these valley forests were declared Sanctuaries Subsequently, the Banjar
valley alone retained that Sanctuaries status till the up gradation as a National
park in 1955.
The initial area of the National Park was 253 sq. km. km, which with subsequent
extensions in 1964and 1970 assumed a size of 446 sq. km.
With the launched of Project Tiger in 1973, the Halon valley area was eventually
integrated with the Park, thereby increasing the total area to the present size
of 940 sq. km..
Kanha tiger Reserve is constituted on a "core-buffer" strategy.
The entire National Park area of 940 sq. km. km. is visualised as a "core
zone", free from biotic. Disturbances of any sort.
A Buffer zone of 1005 sq. km. km. surrounding the core is treated as a multiple
use area. The buffer zone comprises almost 40 percent forest area and the rest
is costiuted by revenue land this zone has been notified by the state Government
as a separate division and is under the unified controls of the management.
The Reserve is a part of the Gonndwana tract inhabited traditionally and chiefly
by the Gong and Baiga tribes. The villagers had free access to cut and burn
the forest at will.
The system of shifting cultivation, locally called "Bewar" prevailed
almost unhindered until 1870 on the hill slopes. Unrestricted grazing was permitted
up to 1915, when grazing rules were introduced.