Madhya Pradesh’s 8th tiger reserve · India’s 57th
A 1,271 km² tiger landscape of teak forest and sandstone hills on the edge of Bhopal, notified on 2 December 2024, where tigers walk the same hills as the painted shelters of Bhimbetka.
Ratapani borders Bhopal; some of its tigers are known as “city tigers” because they range up to the city edge.
NTCA approval came in 2008; the state notified the reserve on 2 December 2024.
The reserve surrounds the UNESCO-listed Bhimbetka rock shelters, a rare mix of wildlife and prehistory.
A 763.8 km² core is kept for wildlife, with a 507.7 km² buffer for people, livelihoods and tourism.
Ratapani had been a wildlife sanctuary since 1976, but its tigers did not stay inside its lines. Over the years tigers became resident across the Ratapani forests and began using the green belts around Bhopal, including the Kerwa and Kolar areas, giving the capital its famous “city tigers”.
Recognising this, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) gave in-principle approval for a tiger reserve in 2008. Questions about villages, boundaries and the railway line through the forest kept the proposal pending until the Madhya Pradesh government finally notified Ratapani Tiger Reserve on 2 December 2024.
Tiger reserve status brings a legally defined core and buffer, a mandatory Tiger Conservation Plan, central Project Tiger funding and closer monitoring, all aimed at securing the tigers that live on Bhopal’s doorstep.
70+
tigers estimated by officials from pugmarks and other signs
16 yrs
from NTCA approval (2008) to notification (2024)
Tigers use the rocky ravines and teak valleys of the Vindhya hills.
NTCA tiger reserve
India’s 57th
Every Indian tiger reserve has two parts: an inviolate core for wildlife and a buffer where people and wildlife share the land.
60% core · 40% buffer
The heart of the reserve, kept free of commercial use and managed for wildlife first. Tourism here is limited to registered vehicles on fixed routes.
A ring around the core where villages, farming and forest livelihoods continue, with an eye on reducing human–wildlife conflict.
Three figures are commonly quoted. They measure different things, so here is what each one means.
Paired cameras on trails identify individual tigers by their unique stripe patterns.
NTCA’s patrol app helps forest staff log tiger signs, patrol routes and threats.
India counts its tigers every four years; the latest published cycle is 2022.
Tigers need room to move. Ratapani sits at a crossroads of forests in central Madhya Pradesh.
Forests across the Narmada valley connect Ratapani towards Satpura Tiger Reserve.
Kerwa, Kolar and Samardha forests on Bhopal’s edge are used by Ratapani’s “city tigers”.
Neighbouring forests, including Singhori Wildlife Sanctuary, extend the habitat across Raisen.
22.918° N, 77.722° E
Ratapani lies between Bhopal to the north-west and the Narmada valley to the south.
A new tiger reserve beside a growing city faces real challenges. These are the issues managers are working on.
The busy Delhi–Mumbai rail line crosses the forest. Media reports count at least 7 tigers and 17 leopards killed on the tracks since 2015; mitigation structures are planned.
About 10 villages lie inside Ratapani. Voluntary relocation is being discussed to free up space for grasslands.
Herbivore density is lower than in older reserves, so grassland and water development is a priority.
A tall fence and patrol road along the boundary near Bhopal aim to reduce tiger movement into the city.
Madhya Pradesh has more tigers than any other state. Here is how Ratapani compares with its best-known reserves.
| Tiger reserve | Districts | Core area (km²) | From Bhopal | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratapani | Raisen, Sehore | 763.8 | ≈ 35–55 km | Closest tiger reserve to Bhopal; Bhimbetka rock art inside |
| Satpura | Narmadapuram | 1,339.3 | ≈ 140 km | Walking and boat safaris, leopards, sloth bears, Pachmarhi hills |
| Panna | Panna, Chhatarpur | 576.1 | ≈ 380 km | Celebrated tiger reintroduction; Ken river gorges |
| Pench | Seoni, Chhindwara | 411.3 | ≈ 360 km | Teak forests of The Jungle Book country |
| Kanha | Mandla, Balaghat | 917.4 | ≈ 460 km | Sal forests, meadows and hard-ground barasingha |
| Bandhavgarh | Umaria | 716.9 | ≈ 500 km | High tiger density and a hilltop fort |
Core areas are official figures in km²; distances are approximate road distances from Bhopal to the main gates.
Safari fees, quotas and timings are set by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and can change. Always confirm on the official booking portal before you travel.
Morning and evening permits for Jhiri and Delawadi are limited. Book through the official MP Forest portal, and use our guide to get it right the first time.
