Brief
The Kanha National Park was created in 1955 by a special law and, since then, it has dedicated itself in preserving a variety of animal species. Many endangered species have indeed been saved here. Today Kanha is among the few most scenic and beautiful wildlife reserves in Asia. This 'Tiger Country' is the ideal home for both predator and prey. By far the most striking features of this region are the open grassy meadows, where sighting blackbuck, swamp deer, sambhar and chital is common. And, if one can transcend into time, a barefooted Mowgli would perhaps come padding along the dusty trail, for this is the land of Kipling's Jungle Book .The name Kanha itself may be derived from kanhar, the local term for the clayey soil in the valley bottoms, or from Kanva, a holy man who once lived there in a forest village. Two river valleys are prominent features of the park's topography: the Banjar in the west and the Halon in the east. Both these rivers are tributaries of the Narmada, which flows through the district headquarters town of Mandla, 64 km (40 miles) to the northwest of the park's western entrance. Kanha's valleys are enclosed by hills topped with plateaux, locally called dadar.

Reasons to visit
Kanha boasts of about 22 species of mammals. Some of the inhabitants of this park are the gaur, the largest of the world's cattle; the sambar, the largest Indian deer; and the chausingha, the only four-horned antelope in the world. Other frequent visitors include the Nilgai antelope, the sloth bear, the dhole, or Indian wild dog, and an occasional panther. List of mammals one can spot at kanha national park:The best areas are the meadows around Kanha, where blackbuck, chital and barasingha can be seen throughout the day

The Bamni Dadar
The Bammi Dadar Known as Sunset Point, this is one of Hardground Barasingha is found only at Kanha The most beautiful areas of the park, from where a spectacular sunset can be watched. The dense luxuriance of Kanha's forests can best be seen from here. Animals that can be sighted around this point are typical of the mixed forest zone: sambar, barking deer, gaur and the four-horned antelope.

Mammalian Species     
Kanha has some 22 species of mammals. Those most easily spotted are the striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pig, chital or spotted deer, barasingha or swamp deer, sambar and blackbuck.

Avian Species    
Kanha has some 80 species of birds. Watchers should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species, and in The grassy forest clearings. , Water birds can be seen near the park's many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the area in front of the museum. The sal forests do not normally yield a sight of Kanha's avifauna. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for birdwatching; binoculars are an invaluable aid to the watcher.

Less commonly seen species
Tiger, Indian hare, dhole or Indian wild dog, barking deer and Indian bison or gaur. Patient watching should reward the visitor with a sight of: Indian fox, sloth bear, striped hyena, jungle cat, leopard, Mouse deer, chausingha or four-horned antelope, nilgai, ratel and porcupine.

Very rarely seen species
The Wolf, which lives in the far east of the park; chinkara, to be found outside the park's northern boundary; Indian pangolin, the smooth Indian otter and the small Indian civet..

Commonly seen species include:
The cattle egret, pond heron, black ibis, common peafowl, crested serpent, rackettailed drongo, hawk eagle and red-wattled lapwing; various species of flycatcher, woodpecker, pigeon, dove, parakeet, babbler and mynah; Indian roller, white-breasted kingfisher and grey hornbill. Jeep and Elephant Hire.