1️⃣ Location & Basic Facts

• Location: Near Jagdalpur in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh
• Distance from Jagdalpur: ~27 km
• Established: 1982 under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• Area: 200 sq km
• Core Area: Entire park is core zone (No buffer zone)
• Shape & Extent:
  • Length: 34 km (West–East)
  • Width: ~6 km (North–South)
• River System: Named after Kanger River (flows NW → SE, bisects park)
• Western Boundary: Tirathgarh Waterfall
• Eastern Boundary: Kolab River (separates from Odisha)
• ~50 villages on outskirts; Kotamsar forest village inside core area

2️⃣ Physical & Geological Features (Highly Important for Geography)

A. Geological Structure

• Dominated by Indravati Group of Rocks
• Complete lithological succession visible
• Unique Karst landforms
• Soils: Loamy, sandy, lateritic, recent alluvial

B. Limestone Cave System (Very Important)

Major caves:

• Kotamsar (Kutumsar) Cave
• Kailash Cave
• Dandak Cave
• Aranyak Cave
• Gupteshwar Cave

Key Features:

• Spectacular Speleothems:
  • Stalactites
  • Stalagmites
  • Helictites
  • Flowstones
  • Rimstones
• Formed in Pre-Pliocene period
• Linked to early monsoon intensification in India
• Ongoing dripstone formation (active cave system)

🔎 Geomorphic & tectonic aspects studied by Gautam et al. (2014)

3️⃣ Tirathgarh Waterfall

• Located inside the park
• Origin: Munga Bahar River
• Height: ~150 feet
• Falls over sandstone rocks
• Deep gorge formation
• Major eco-tourism attraction

4️⃣ Ecological Significance (Very Important for Environment Section)

A. Ecotone Region (Key UPSC Point)

• Forms natural transition zone
• Between:
  • Sal forests (Shorea robusta)
  • Teak forests (Tectona grandis)
• Southern limit of Sal & Northern limit of Teak overlap here

👉 Example of Ecotonal biodiversity richness

5️⃣ Forest Type

• Mixed Humid Tropical Deciduous Forest
• Dominant vegetation:
  • Sal
  • Teak
  • Bamboo
  • Sagon (Teak)
• Represents Old Growth Moist Tropical Forests of Bastar

6️⃣ Biodiversity Profile (Very Important for Prelims + Mains)

A. Vertebrate Fauna Inventory

• 49 Mammals
• 201 Birds
• 16 Amphibians
• 37 Reptiles
• 57 Fish species

B. IUCN Significance

• 6 species listed as threatened
• Survey (2017) by Bharos A.M.K. & Ameet Mandavia on:➤ Eastern Hill Myna
  • State Bird of Chhattisgarh
  • Locally called Bastar Maina
  • Mimics human voice
  • IUCN (2015): Least Concern
  • Was nearing local extinction in state

C. Unique Species

• Giant Squirrel (arboreal habitat sanctuary)
• Montane Trinket Snake
• Pit Viper
• Travancore Wolf Snake
• Fungoid Frog
• Crocodiles (Bhainsadhara sandy banks)

👉 Species earlier believed endemic to Western Ghats also found here.

7️⃣ Mammalian Fauna

• Tiger
• Leopard (Panther)
• Sloth Bear
• Wild Cat
• Hyena
• Cheetal
• Sambhar
• Barking Deer
• Wild Pig
• Jackal
• Langur
• Rhesus Macaque
• Flying Squirrel
• Civet
• Python

8️⃣ Hydrology

• Numerous seasonal & perennial streams
• All join Kanger River
• Important crocodile habitats:
  • Bhainsadhara
  • Kenjhardhara

9️⃣ Cultural & Anthropological Importance

• Presence of Dhurwa tribe
• Caves important during Mahashivratri
• Evidence of prehistoric human settlements
• Example of Man-Animal Harmony
• Eco-tourism supports local livelihoods

🔟 Conservation Importance

• Declared National Park in July 1982
• Proposed as Biosphere Reserve under MAB Programme
• One of the last virgin forest pockets in Peninsular India
• Entire park is protected core area

1️⃣1️⃣ Comparison with Global Karst Systems

• Differs from large cave systems like:
  • Gunung Mulu National Park
• Represents inland limestone karst system
• High geological + biological integration