Melghat means 'meeting of the ghats' which is just what the area is, a large tract of unending hills andravines scarred by jagged cliffs and steep climbs.
The exquisite hill forests, thick undergrowth and moss covered trees underscore its virgin confines.
It lies at the northern extreme of the Amravati District on the border of Madhya Pradesh, in the southwestern Satpura mountain ranges.
As a whole Melghat encompasses an area of 1,676.93 sq. km. which includes the 788.75 sq. km. Melghat
Sanctuary and the 361.28 sq. km. Gugarnal National Park in the Vidharba region of Maharashtra.
The rest of the buffer zone includes 526.90 sq. km. of reserve forest. Located in the catchment area of the
River Tapti, Melghat, a water harvesting forest, supplies 30 per cent of all the fresh water available to the
people living in the vicinity.
Nature has offered protection to Melghat in the form of a rugged topography with only a few entry points.
The Makhala, Chikhaldara, Chiladari, Patulda and Gugamal are the large plateaux amidst rugged terrainContiguity of forests in Satpura Hill Range guarantees the long-term conservation potential of the area.
Flora:-
More than 648 varieties of plants are found in the Melghat Tiger Reserve. These plants include various
types of trees, shrubs, herbal plants, creepers, sedges and grasses. But the Melghat Tiger Reserve is
dominated by teak trees which are the highest in numbers.Fauna:-
Tiger is the main predator of this forest. There are about 73 tigers here recorded in 1998. Besides tiger,
the Melghat Tiger Reserve is a home of other animals like Leopard, Sloth bear, Wild dog, Jackal,
Sambar, Gaur, Barking deer, Nilgai, Cheetal, Chousinga, Ratel, Flying Squirrel, Wild boar, Langur
Rhesus monkey, Porcupine, Pangolin, Mouse deer, Python, Otter, and Caracal.
Getting to Melghat Tiger Reserve:-
By Air: The nearest airport is at Nagpur.
By Rail: The nearest station is at Badnera which is 110km from the reserve.
By Road: Regular buses go via Paratwada to Dharni and Burhanpur.
The Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary remains open from October to June but safaris are only allowed from December to
June and there are greater chances of sighting the tigers during the summer seasons.
