Situated in Umaria District Bandhavgarh is one of most popular national park in the state of Madhya Pradesh in  Central India. Bandhavgarh National Park was notified in the year 1968 and a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger in the year in 1993. 

The present area is of the reserve is 1536.98 and core is 703 sq.km. Thfe core area is 713 sq.km while the buffer area is 820.035 sq.km each. The core area is also known as critical tiger habitat while the buffer is an outer protective habitat. The core area is completely inviolate with no human habitats except the huts of sentinals who guard the forest and its inhabitats. A part of the core zone and also that of the buffer zone is reserved as that for tourism zone.Tourism is allowed on open jeeps and canters registered with the forest departments.

While the core supports major population of the tigers and all other animals due to dense tiger habitat the buffer is less inhabited with tigers and all other animals. The buffers is usually less dense and may be denuded at places nevertheless it acts as a safer zone for animals. In amost all buffer zones human habitat may be present albiet relocation is taking place with due compensation.