Pashan Garh
Wildlife at Pashan Garh
The rocky escarpments and lowland forests of Panna are the ideal habitat for the sloth bear. With its shaggy, auburn fur and the white V on its chest, the sloth bear's cuddly appearance is belied only by its curved claws, used for breaking into termite mounds. Ants and termites form the bulk of the bear's diet, although it also enjoys honey, flowers, tubers, fruits, grains, and even meat and eggs. Sloth bear cubs are born in caves or among large boulders and remain with their mothers for up to two years. Cubs jostle with each other for a secure position on their mother's back, where they remain even when she is running or climbing.
The Ken River is home to the mugger crocodile, a freshwater species found in India's lakes, rivers and marshes. Better adapted for movement on land than most other crocodiles, the mugger has been known to migrate overland when necessary and may even chase prey on land for a short distance. In the dry season, mugger dig burrows on the river banks for shelter from the sun. Like most crocodiles, the mugger is not a fussy eater, consuming fish, other reptiles and any small mammals it is able to ambush drinking from the river.
The national bird of India, the peacock, is often spotted displaying its spectacular colours among the dense forests of Panna. The male is famous for its iridescent blue-green plumage and extravagant tail, which it displays as part of its courtship ritual. The female, or peahen, is far less flashy, with her dull green and grey feathers. During mating season, the loud, high pitched cries of the peacock echo hauntingly through the jungle. Peacocks are ravenous eaters and will feed on anything from insects and plants to mice and scorpions, or even small reptiles and amphibians. The peacock is an important symbol in Indian folklore and mythology.
