Quite a number of national parks are prevalent in the central region of India. Palamau Tiger Reserve is one of the important reserves. A series of high grounds dominate peninsular India`s topography, one of them being the extensive Chota Nagpur Plateau. Betla National Park was located in the dense The Betla forests on the Chota Nagpur Plateau soon became the most frequented place of the hunters and gathers. The Palamau Tiger Reserve integrates this National park with in its territory, along with the southern part of the huge Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary. The whole of the Palamau Tiger Reserve covers an area of one thousand sq km, also stretching to provinces of the state of Jharkhand, northwest of the industrial city of Ranchi.

The story of formation of Palamau Tiger Reserve has a long history behind it. It was once the seat of the Gond Chero rajas who were accountable for the magnificent sixteenth century forts on the banks of the Koel and the Auranga. For them, thick, virgin forest shaped an almost invincible shelter from Daud Khan`s occupying army in the year 1660, Much later in the nineteenth and early 20th centuries, these forests considered to be ideal hunting grounds for the regal families.

The typography of Palamau Tiger Reserve is a mix of lakes, rivers and valleys. The winding North Koel River and its river branch, the Auranga, slash through the rocky lands of the northern part of Palamau. The Kanhar and Amanat rivers run through the Betla region of the tiger reserve area, which lies in the midst of lush tracts of sal and other dry deciduous trees. Palamau Tiger Reserve becomes dry and parched during the sultry days of summer season. However the forest area again gets back their original lushness in months of rain with the rivers overflowing the area. Low lying waterfalls all of a sudden makes his appearance, thus contributing the whole of Palamau Tiger Reserve to become a amusing place for vacation, especially during the rainy season.

Tourists throng the Palamau Tiger Reserve in a large number. The best time for visiting the place is during the hot, dry, summer months when the wild animals seen near the water bodies. The Hathibajwa watchtower and the observation hide at Madhuchuan in the Betla area are full with ponds, throng with wildlife. The authorities to improve the water situation here have initiated several steps. Apart from protecting the wild habitat in tact, they are also taking lots of pain in making man-made water holes.

Palamau Tiger Reserve is abode of a large number of mammals and various other wild habitats. Based on `pugmark count` the first ever tiger census was being recorded in Palamau in the year 1934. Wild elephants can be seen here, often being seen cooling down for biting the heat in the waters of the Betla dams. Their numbers are quite small and it is thought that they were brought in to this region. The Maharaja of Surguja have brought about twenty elephants to increase the populace here, and also it is likely that the large animals transmigrated from nearby forests in the early 1900s.

Quite a number a mammalian species are found with in the premises of Palamau Tiger Reserve. These are namely Asian Elephant, Leopard, Wild Dog (Dhole), Jungle Cat, Wolf, Small Indian Civet, Jackal, Striped Hyena and Sloth Bear. Also few Indian Bison, better known as Gaur and also Sambar, Spotted Deer (Chital), Barking Deer, Indian Pangolin, Common Langur reside at ease mainly in the dense forests of the region.

No wonder, each and every one who visits the Palamau Tiger Reserve gets enchanted by the sights of beautiful birds. Various woodland birds include Red Junglefowl, Black Francolin, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Greater Flameback, Green-billed Malkoha, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Indian Pitta, Black-hooded Oriole, Jungle Myna, Asian Paradise-flycatcher and White-rumped Shama etc.

By the sides of the rivers and water bodies, one can get a glimpse of birds like Lesser Adjutant, Black Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Painted Stork, Grey Heron, Black Ibis, Stork-billed Kingfisher.

Carnivorous birds too are no less important. They had a peaceful co existence with the other bird species. Crested Serpent Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Grey headed Fish Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Eagle Owl are examples of some bird raptors of Palamau Tiger Reserve.

Among the first nine reserves of Project Tiger that was started in the year 1973, Palamau Tiger Reserve deserves special mentioning. Whether it well endure its exuberance in the future also largely depends on the mammoth initiatives that are needed to ensure its long lasting sustained conservational initiatives.