A brief visit to Central India’s Panna NP, on the cusp of an early summer heat wave proved somewhat more productive (both in terms of abundance and diversity of wildlife) than envisaged, from a dry deciduous forest ecosystem in the peak of the dry season. There were multiple sightings of Tiger (a pair of almost adult males, with a kill close to the Ken River) and Leopard, but also of lesser known and not as commonly seen species such as Rusty Spotted Cat (a fleeting glimpse of this smallest wild cat of the world), Madras Tree Shrew, Sloth Bear and Indian Fox among 20 species of mammals. Interestingly, and suggestive of the microhabitat diversity of the park, the landscape hosts both Chinkara that are normally found in thorn forest and desert, and species like Sambar and Chital, which require more browsing and grazing opportunities that wetter habitats provide. Birdlife, while not especially diverse, not surprising given the time of the year, was interesting and included species such as Painted Spurfowl, Painted Sandgrouse, White-naped Woodpecker, Sirkeer Malkoha, Crested Bunting, Stork-billed Kingfisher and a handful of vultures and other raptors. It was also interesting to observe the dry season ecology of these forests with just a handful of food sources (for example the fruit of Indian Bael, the young leaves of Tendu and the flowers of the Indian Gum Tree) for the herbivores. As a first time visitor to the park, it was also great to experience the dramatic scenery of gorges and rocky hills that intersperse the “table top” plateaus, that are characteristic of the park's landscape.
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