This document summarizes cultural and natural heritage sites in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. It discusses several national parks, sanctuaries, and other sites that showcase the state's biodiversity and have potential for wildlife tourism. These include Madhav National Park, Kuno National Park, National Chambal Sanctuary, Dihaila Lake, Tighra Reservoir, Atal Sagar Reservoir, Gwalior Fort, and others. The document outlines the habitats and species found at these locations and notes that eco-tourism can benefit the environment, local communities, and economy if properly managed.

1. Cultural and Natural Heritage sites in Gwalior
Chambal Region, Madhya Pradesh
Dr. Ramkumar Lodhi
Conservation Biology Lab
Jiwaji University, Gwalior

2. Introduction
• Madhya Pradesh can easily be described as the best state of the nation, in terms of richness
and diversity of tourism destinations.
• The state has three world heritage sites namely Sanchi, Bhimbetka and Khajuraho.
• Madhya Pradesh is not called the 'heart of India' only because of its location in the centre of
country. It has been home to cultural heritage of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam.
• Innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are dotted all
over the State.
• The natural beauty of Madhya Pradesh is equally varied. Consisting largely of a plateau, the
State has everything. Spectacular mountain ranges, meandering rivers, huge water bodies and
miles of dense forests.
• But perhaps the best part about MP is its accessibility. It is equally close to major tourist
destinations from the North, South, East and West
• In the present scenario the Eco-tourism is a grooming sector in developing nations.

3. • Tourism is almost wholly dependent on the environment.
• Natural resources, the ecosystem, regional ecology provide an
important “backdrop” to commercial service areas and
recreation sites
• Natural resources (beaches, seas, mountains, lakes, Rivers etc)
and manmade resources (historic cities, heritage buildings
and sites, monuments etc) constitute the primary source of
tourism.
• Any degradation of the primary sources is likely to lead to a
decline of tourism.

5. What is Wildlife Tourism?
• Tourism based on “wild” (non-domesticated) animals
• In captivity (zoos/ wildlife parks, aquaria, wildlife exhibitors)
• Free-ranging (tours, lodges, natural attractions, fishing, hunting)
• Viewing wildlife is being promoted in many government-controlled
protected areas in India. Tourism may be permitted, in principle, in
all protected areas
• In accordance with state legislation on protected areas, the specific
type and extent of recreational uses depend on the approved
management plan for each park.

6. Recommended features
of Wildlife Tourism
• Species: rare, unusual, colourful, beautiful, large predator,
funny, ‘intelligent’, ‘interesting’, ‘similar to humans’
• Species: especially appealing, large numbers and/or variety
• Provide guaranteed close up viewing of animals behaving
naturally in pleasant natural environment
• Provide for variety of activities, ‘exciting’ encounter
• Provide opportunities for active participation by visitors
• Manage environment and/or wildlife to enhance viewing and
minimise impacts

7. BENEFITS FROM WILDLIFE TOURISM
• The benefits from wildlife tourism can be both tangible and intangible. The economic
benefits from nature-based tourism, in general, are considerable. It creates employment
and supports secondary commercial industry.
• Visit to Protected areas generates income hiring fees of boats and land vehicles.
• Non-consumptive wildlife tourism generates income from park fees, admission fees,
leases, services, sale of materials, and other tourism-related entrepreneurs
• In India there are large number protected areas in different states and are under the
control of State Forest Departments.
• Many protected areas include tourism activities.
• The income from tourist activities and entry fees contribute significantly to the
development of the protected areas.

8. Wild Tourism in Madhya Pradesh
 Tourism in Madhya Pradesh is centered on nature and wildlife.
It is in this context that "Eco-tourism" has gained its bearing in
Madhya Pradesh.
 Eco-tourism also had potential to play an important role in
creating environmental as well as cultural, conservation and
support of life maintenance awareness amongst all the
stakeholders, local communities, tourists, government and the
private sector.
 Nature tourism is the organized viewing of wildlife.
 Nature tourists pay a considerable amount of money to
participate in viewing wildlife in their native countries and in
foreign countries that promote nature viewing to attract the
revenue of tourists

9. Madhav National Park
• Madhav National Park comes
with pristine beauty and is
surrounded by verdant
backgrounds from all the sides.
• The varied landscape of
forested hills and flat grasslands
makes this park a unique place
to spot a rich variety of avian
species, mammals, and other
wild animals. Some of the
prominent flora of this park
includes Dhawda, Palash, Khair,
Kerdhai, and Salai.
Habitats in the lakes within Madhav National Park, Shivpuri
The Sakhya and Madhav Sagar Lake, located in the center of the forest, support a rich variety
of migratory birds including geese, pochard, pintail, teal, mallard, and gadwall. These lakes are
the great nesting ground for birds and marsh crocodiles, that can be spotted here in
abundance.

10. Kuno National Park, Sheiopur
• Kuno National Park is a protected area in Madhya
Pradesh that received the status of national park in
2018. The protected area was established in 1981 as
a wildlife sanctuary in the Sheopur and Morena
districts.
• Kun wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh is an
area of 345 square kilometers with an additional are
of 900 square kilometers as a buffeer zone around
the Sanctuary. The park is home to many species of
wild animals including wolves, monkeys leopard,
tiger, bear and many species of birds around 129.
• Currleltly the Asiatic Lion is being reintoduced into
the aprk form the neighboring state of Gujurat.
• The African Cheetah will also be introduced in the
Sanctuary in the near future.
The vegetation of the protected area
includes Anogeissus pendula forest and
scrub, dry savanna forest and grassland and
tropical riverine forest.

11. National Chambal Sanctuary
The Chambal River has
different habitats,
particularly the river
depth, flow and nature
of banks. Animals
occupy various suitable
habitats to their
requirements.
The Mugger, Gharial
and Dolphin are
present in different
locations in the
National Chambal
Sanctuary.
Different types of species habitats in the Chambal River

12. Dihaila Lake
 This is one of the major wintering area for large numbers of
aquatic and terrestrial birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan,
Chine and Siberia, Some 149 species of birds, including the rare
Siberian crane, have been recorded in this wetlland.
 Only the water bodies in Karera Bustard Sanctuary which support
149 species of bird.
 It is a natural seasonal water body
 Also support large number of wild animal
 In 1987 Siberian crane were reported by Rahmani in Dihaila Lake

14. Tighra Reservoir, Gwalior
Habitats of Tighra Reservoi
Tigra Dam creates a freshwater
reservoir on the Sank River,
about 23 km
from Gwalior, Madhya
Pradesh, India It plays a crucial
role in supplying water to the
city.
The dam is 24 metres high at its
crest, and 1341 m long. The
reservoir has a capacity of 4.8
million cubic metres and the
spillway structure can pass up to
1274 cubic metres per second.
Tigra Dam has been constructed
on Sank River in 1916. This dam
has been constructed in the
vicinity of eleven villages.
After the construction of the dam the area became a suitable habitat for several birds and
this area was later declared as a Bird Sanctuary. However this also led to the relocation
of the people that was residing in the surrounding area of the dam.

15. Atal Sagar Reservoir
• Atal Sagar is a Multi-purpose
Dam which provides many things
like water for irrigation, electricity
for human use, and provides job to
peoples.
• The Atal Sagar Dam Project
(ASDP) is being constructed in
the Sindh river near Madikheda
village, about 35 km away from
Shivpuri town (district
headquarter) of MP state in India.
• The multipurpose Dam projects
have miscellaneous impact on
economic development and
environment.
Atal Sagar dam is also known as
Madikheda dam. This dam has huge
capacity of stored water for irrigation. The
Atal Sagar Dam Project (ASDP) is a
multipurpose project of Government of
Madhya Pradesh.

16. Gwalior Fort
• Gwalior Fort is a hill fort near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh central, India. The fort has
existed at least since the 10th century, and the inscriptions and monuments found within
what is now the fort campus indicate that it may have existed as early as the beginning of
the 6th century.
• The present-day fort consists of a defensive structure and two main palaces, Gujari
Mahal and Man Mandir,
• The fort covers an area of 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) and rises 11 metres (36 ft).
• There are two gates; one on the northeast side with a long access ramp and the other on
the southwest. The main entrance is the ornate Elephant gate (Hathi Pul). The other is
the Badalgarh Gate.

17. Other monuments in Gwalior fort
The fort and its premises are well maintained and house many historic monuments
including Jain temples, Siddhachal Jain Temple, Urvahi, Jain statues carved out of rock
in the Gwalior Fort near the Urwai Gate, Gopachal, Mughal Invasion , Teli ka mandir ,
Garuda monument, Sahastrabahu (Sas-Bahu) temple, Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor,
Palace, Man mandir palace, Hathi Pol, Karn mahal, Vikram mahal, Chhatri of Bhim
Singh Rana, Museum, Gujari Mahal, and Water tanks. There are also a number of
palaces (mahal) including the Man mandir, the Gujari, the Jahangir, the Karan, and
the Shah Jahan.

18. Samadhi of Rani Lakshmi Bai
• Built in the
honour of the
Warrior Queen of
Jhansi, Rani
Lakshmi Bai, her
Samadhi is a
famous
attraction.
• Other than the
Samadhi, the
attraction has a
stunning 8 metre
tall metal statue
of Rani Lakshmi
Bai.
A fair is conducted every year in June at the
location in the honour of the Queen. It is a
perfect attraction for history buffs.

19. Mitabli Padawali Temple
Bateshwar temples are a
cluster of almost 200 mini
grandeurs made of sandstone,
devoted to lords Shiva and
Vishnu.
Situated around 40 km from the main town of Gwalior,
Padavali is an fortress comprising many ancient temples.
The temples have intricate carvings and one of the temples
also have erotic carvings and hence famous as mini
Khajuraho.

20. Factors that have contributed to this rise in
domestic tourism
• Increased disposable income of the middle class,
• Increased urbanization and stress of living in cities and towns,
• Increased ownership of cars, which is making domestic tourism
more attractive, especially among the upper-middle and middle
classes ,
• Improved employment benefits, such as the leave travel
concession,
• Development of inexpensive mass transport and improved
connections to various places of tourist interest,
• Increased number of cheap accommodations and resorts,
• Greater advertising targeted at domestic tourists both by the
central and the state governments, as well as the tourist industry,
• Development of time sharing of holiday accommodations, that is
being targeted at the middle class.

21. Benefits for State and sites
• Brings international attention for protection
and conservation
• Brings tourism
• Can provide funds for restoration, preservation
and training
• Site is protected under the Geneva
Conservation

22. • The Tourism industry provides revenue and
contribute significantly to the country’s economy,
many sectors of the society are critically concerned
with the increasing pressure of tourism on the
natural environment, wildlife and Monument
• Since the range of opportunities for wildlife-tourist
interactions is broadening, its implications on
biodiversity conservation and tourism management
should be addressed so as to provide visitor’s
satisfaction without compromising the welfare and
safety of wild species.
CONCLUSION

23. School of Studies in Zoology
Jiwaji University, Gwalior
Email: ramkumarlodhi73@yahoo.com