Question
With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1
It was declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025.
2
Sakhya Sagar, which is designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park.
3
Its area is shared between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
A1 only
B1 and 2
C2 and 3
D3 only
Each Statement — Verified Against Official Sources
1
“Declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025” — TRUE
March 9, 2025 — the Union Environment Ministry (under NTCA — National Tiger Conservation Authority) officially declared Madhav National Park as India’s 58th Tiger Reserve.
Declared Tiger Reserve in India in 2025
✓ Correct
Key facts:
• Also became Madhya Pradesh’s 9th tiger reserve (after Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Satpura, Sanjay-Dubri, Pench, Ratapani, and Veerangana Durgavati)
• Tiger reintroduction programme began in March 2023 — two females and one male were released into the park
• Currently has 5 tigers including two recently born cubs
• It was previously a hotspot for tigers until they disappeared in the late 1970s
• Previously MP’s 57th Tiger Reserve (Ratapani) was notified in December 2024, making Madhav the 58th nationally
✓ Confirmed — March 9, 2025
India’s 58th Tiger Reserve · MP’s 9th · Tiger reintroduction from 2023 · 5 tigers currently · NTCA notification March 9, 2025
2
“Sakhya Sagar, designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park” — TRUE
Sakhya Sagar Lake: A man-made reservoir created in 1918 on the Manier River. Located in the southern part of Madhav National Park, Shivpuri district, MP.
Sakhya Sagar Ramsar Site — within Madhav NP
✓ Correct
Ramsar designation: Officially designated as a Ramsar Site (Wetland of International Importance) on 7 January 2022 — Ramsar Reference No. 2483.
Ecological significance:
• Supports a large population of marsh crocodiles (mugger/Crocodylus palustris)
• Habitat for 70+ species of migratory waterbirds
• Critical water source for terrestrial wildlife within the park
Note: Madhav National Park has two lakes — Sakhya Sagar (Ramsar site) and Madhav Sagar (NOT a Ramsar site). Only Sakhya Sagar has the Ramsar designation.
✓ Confirmed — Ramsar No. 2483 (January 7, 2022)
Sakhya Sagar = Ramsar Site 2483 · Within Madhav NP · Man-made 1918 · Marsh crocodiles · 70+ migratory waterbird species. Madhav Sagar (next lake) is NOT a Ramsar site.
3
“Area is shared between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan” — FALSE
Madhav National Park is located entirely within Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh. It does NOT share any area with Rajasthan.
“Area shared between MP and Rajasthan”
✗ Incorrect — entirely in MP
Why students pick this trap: Madhav National Park lies geographically in northern MP and functions as a vital ecological corridor between:
• Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan) — to its northwest
• Kuno National Park (MP, home of cheetahs) — to its south
This corridor function makes Rajasthan sound relevant — but the park’s actual boundaries are entirely within Shivpuri district, Gwalior Division, Madhya Pradesh. The area is 354 km² in MP only. It borders Rajasthan conceptually (as a wildlife corridor) but does not share territory with it.
✗ Incorrect — 100% in MP
Madhav NP = Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh only · 354 km² · No area in Rajasthan. Acts as corridor between Ranthambore (RJ) and Kuno (MP) but is itself entirely in MP.
Madhav National Park — Complete Fact Sheet for UPSC
| Parameter | Detail |
| Location | Shivpuri district, Gwalior Division, Madhya Pradesh · Chambal region · Northern fringe of Central Highlands · Upper Vindhyan Hills |
| Area | 354 km² (Core: 375.233 km² · Buffer: 1,276.154 km²) |
| Established | 1956 (as Shivpuri National Park) · Renamed 1958 in honour of Madho Rao Scindia · Named National Park in 1958 |
| Tiger Reserve | India’s 58th Tiger Reserve · MP’s 9th · Notified March 9, 2025 by NTCA |
| Tiger reintroduction | March 2023 — 2 females + 1 male released · Currently 5 tigers (+ 2 cubs) |
| Lakes | Sakhya Sagar (Ramsar site, 1918, Manier River) · Madhav Sagar (NOT Ramsar) |
| Sakhya Sagar Ramsar | Designated January 7, 2022 · Reference No. 2483 · Marsh crocodiles · 70+ migratory waterbirds |
| Vegetation | Northern tropical dry deciduous forests + dry thorn forests · Teak, Khair, Dhok, Salai, Tendu |
| Fauna | Tiger, Leopard, Chinkara, Chowsinga, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Jackal, Python · Marsh crocodiles in Sakhya Sagar |
| Historical significance | Hunting ground of Mughal emperors (on Agra-Deccan route) · Later Scindia dynasty hunting reserve · British colonial era hunting |
| Highways | NH-3 (Agra-Mumbai) and NH-25 (Jhansi road) pass through — creates wildlife corridor challenges |
| Corridor role | Ecological corridor between Ranthambore TR (Rajasthan) and Kuno NP (MP) — but Madhav itself is entirely in MP |
| Tribe | Saharia — Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the region |
Memory Trick — Never Forget This
🧠 Remember It This Way
Statement 3 trap — corridor ≠ shared area: Madhav NP links Ranthambore (RJ) and Kuno (MP) as an ecological corridor. Students confuse “corridor between Rajasthan and MP” with “area shared between Rajasthan and MP.” The park itself is entirely in Shivpuri district, MP.
M-S lakes mnemonic: Madhav NP has two lakes — Madhav Sagar and Sakhya Sagar. Only Sakhya Sagar is the Ramsar site. Madhav Sagar is NOT. S for Sakhya = S for (Ram)sar.
58th Tiger Reserve = March 9, 2025: Madhav NP → 58th Tiger Reserve → 9th in MP → notified March 9, 2025. Before this, MP’s 57th (nationally) was Ratapani (December 2024). MP now has the most tiger reserves of any Indian state.
Historical hooks: Named after Madho Rao Scindia (Maharaja of Gwalior). Was a hunting ground for Mughal emperors on the Agra-Deccan route. Mughal hunting ground → Scindia hunting ground → Wildlife Sanctuary 1956 → National Park 1958 → Tiger Reserve 2025.
