3 Wildlife-Friendly Cities in Vidarbha

3 Wildlife-Friendly Cities in Vidarbha

Urban growth and wildlife rarely coexist without conflict, yet certain cities in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region reveal how proximity to forests, water bodies, and ecological corridors can help sustain natural balance.

These cities, Nagpur, Chandrapur, and Amravati, have evolved amid landscapes that remain biologically rich and function as gateways to some of central India’s most significant reserves. Their geography and planning allow visible continuities between built environments and natural habitats.

Lakes, wooded hills, and grassland margins surrounding these cities continue to provide space for species movement and nesting. The interaction between city dwellers and the surrounding natural systems adds layers of ecological importance to these urban centres. The coexistence observed here reflects the environmental diversity that defines much of Vidarbha.

1. Nagpur

Nagpur stands as the most prominent example of a city interwoven with wild landscapes. Often referred to as the Tiger Capital of India, it lies within convenient reach of multiple tiger reserves, including Pench, Bor, and Umred Pauni Karhandla. The Gorewada bio-park on the city’s northern edge serves as an important link between the urban core and nearby forest tracts. Ambazari, Futala, and Sonegaon lakes host resident and migratory birds that contribute to a diverse ecological presence within city limits.

These lakes form microhabitats supporting aquatic vegetation, reptiles, and amphibians. The wooded Seminary Hills and the stretch around the Nag river revival area have also been identified as green pockets sustaining small mammals and birdlife. Regular bird counts and biodiversity mapping by local groups further establish Nagpur’s position as an urban area embedded within a broader conservation zone. Such spatial and ecological interdependence underscores the city’s standing as one of Vidarbha’s most wildlife-friendly zones.

2. Chandrapur

Chandrapur offers a striking example of an industrial city situated beside one of India’s most thriving tiger ecosystems. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve lies just beyond the city boundary, its 625 square kilometre area providing refuge to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and deer species. The forest cover around Chandrapur remains dense in patches, with corridors connecting Tadoba to smaller sanctuaries such as Junona and Bhadrawati. Within the city, Ramala Lake functions as a breeding and feeding site for wading birds and smaller fauna. The local terrain of mixed forest and agricultural plains enables seasonal animal movement close to human habitation, occasionally leading to sightings of wild species on the outskirts.

Several community and forest-led drives have resulted in the planting of native trees to strengthen buffer zones and bird habitats near residential areas. Although Chandrapur’s economy has long depended on mining and thermal power, its ecological surroundings remain among the most active wildlife zones in Vidarbha.

3. Amravati

Amravati’s connection with wildlife emerges through its proximity to the Melghat Tiger Reserve located in the Satpura range. The reserve, among India’s earliest tiger conservation zones, lies roughly 80 kilometres from the city and supports populations of tiger, leopard, and sloth bear. The undulating hills and riverine tracts leading toward Melghat create an ecological continuum extending to the outskirts of Amravati. Urban lakes such as Wadali and reservoirs like Upper Wardha Dam provide habitats for migratory and resident birds. These water systems also aid in maintaining the microclimate and biodiversity within and around the city. Surveys conducted by local educational institutions frequently document butterflies, herons, and raptors in green patches near the urban fringe.

The presence of forested slopes, open scrublands, and water bodies around Amravati integrates the city within a larger ecological matrix. Its location and natural linkages make it an important node in Vidarbha’s network of wildlife-friendly urban areas.

The three cities exemplify how natural systems can persist beside expanding urban life when geography and land use patterns remain favourable. Nagpur links directly to multiple reserves, Chandrapur thrives beside a core tiger habitat, and Amravati continues to function as the urban threshold to Melghat’s forests. Each of these cities reflects a version of coexistence where human development and biodiversity overlap in practical, observable forms.

The lakes, green corridors, and forested margins in these regions serve as silent infrastructure, maintaining ecological stability.

Such examples illustrate that urban planning in forest-adjacent regions can integrate conservation without detaching from everyday life. The continued observation and documentation of these spaces contribute to understanding how cities in Vidarbha form living boundaries between habitation and the wild.