How Madhya Pradesh is blending wildlife and tourism responsibly

Madhya Pradesh is greatly endowed with forests and wildlife resources, but a lot has gone into creating and preserving it. The work put in the preceding decades has ensured that the state enjoys a pre-eminent position in wildlife conservation in India. “Madhya Pradesh is also leveraging its strengths in wildlife very responsibly to create employment and income for local communities,” said L. Krishnamoorthy, additional principal chief conservator of forests, wildlife, Madhya Pradesh, at the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2026, held recently in Goa.

Krishnamoorthy was speaking during the session ‘Synergies of tourism and wildlife: The Madhya Pradesh experience’. Listing the strengths in wildlife, he said that Madhya Pradesh, with 785 tigers at last count, had emerged as India’s ‘tiger state’, but that wasn’t all. Besides having the biggest tiger population, the state has also been dubbed as Vulture State, Leopard State, Cheetah State and Gharial State—based on the highest number of specimens of each species found in any state.

Krishnamoorthy said Madhya Pradesh has 11 national parks and 26 sanctuaries that cover more than 15,000 sq km of forests. It is home to nine tiger reserves, the highest for any state in the country.

Elaborating on what makes for a successful wildlife destination, Krishnamoorthy listed two aspects: sightings of wildlife and the wilderness experience. He said that huge efforts have been made in translocating wildlife from areas that have excess population to ones with deficient populations. This has improved the sightings of wildlife, besides providing prey base for carnivores. The prominent translocation projects include cheetahs from Africa, gaur from Kanha to Bandhavgarh, swamp deer from Kanha to Satpura and Bandhavgarh, and nearly 8,000 spotted deer from Kanha and Pench to Kuno, Ratapani and Chidikho.

Krishnamoorthy said the biggest difference between tourism and ecotourism was that the latter does not compete with other destinations, focuses on low impact and involves local communities. Madhya Pradesh is a pioneer in ecotourism too and provides services such as boating, walking and drives in buffer areas of tiger reserves.

Observing rules while engaging in wildlife tourism is more critical than at other tourism destinations. Hence, safari vehicles in Madhya Pradesh have apps to monitor their movement and speed and zero-garbage discharge in parks.

FIVE KEY TAKEWAYS

• Madhya Pradesh is not just the Tiger State but also Leopard State, Cheetah State, Gharial State and Vulture State, based on the highest number of specimens of each species found in any state.
• Wildlife tourism depends greatly on sightings of animals and the wilderness experience. Madhya Pradesh is promoting both at its destinations.
• Tourism is different from ecotourism, wherein the emphasis is on carrying capacity and low impact.
• Wildlife destinations in the state involve local communities and promote gender equity by engaging women as drivers and guides.
• Madhya Pradesh has made rapid strides in scientific management of wildlife through translocation of mega species and herbivores.

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