Six tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh will open from October 1 after remaining shut for three months due to the monsoon, an official said on Thursday. The state is home to six of the 52 tiger reserves in India, namely Kanha, Banghavgarh, Satpura, Pench, Panna and Sanjay-Dubri.

Confirming the development, Satpura Tiger Reserve field director L Krishnamurthy told PTI core areas were closed during this three-month period while buffer zones were operational for tourists.

The monsoon shutdown is enforced as it is mating season for the big cats, and, moreover, paths inside get unmotorable due to rains, Krishnamurthy added. "During this break, grasslands etc are developed for animals," he said. Madhya Pradesh leads the country with 526 tigers. As per the All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018, the country has 2,967 tigers.

(With PTI inputs)