Location
Kuno National Park is located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. It lies in the Vindhyan hill region and forms part of the larger forested landscape connecting Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The park derives its name from the Kuno River, a tributary of the Chambal River, which flows through the area.
Establishment and Status
- Declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1981
- Notified as a National Park in 2018
- Area approximately 748 square kilometres
It is managed under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Ecological Characteristics
Biome
- Dry deciduous forest ecosystem
- Mixed forests with grasslands and scrub
Flora
- Dominated by species such as Kardhai, Salai and Khair
- Grasslands provide ideal habitat for herbivores
Fauna
- Leopards
- Sloth bear
- Striped hyena
- Indian wolf
- Nilgai
- Chital and Sambar
The park supports a diverse prey base suitable for large carnivores.
Cheetah Reintroduction Project
Kuno National Park gained national and international attention as the site selected for the reintroduction of cheetahs into India.
In 2022, African cheetahs were translocated from Namibia and South Africa as part of an ambitious wildlife restoration initiative.
The objective was to restore the cheetah, which became extinct in India in 1952, and to re-establish a functional grassland predator.
Strategic Importance
Grassland Ecosystem Conservation
Kuno highlights the importance of conserving grasslands, which are often undervalued compared to forest ecosystems.
Landscape Connectivity
It forms part of a larger conservation corridor in central India, contributing to regional biodiversity stability.
Conservation Experiment
The cheetah project represents one of the world’s first intercontinental large carnivore translocations.
Challenges
- Ensuring long-term survival and breeding success of reintroduced cheetahs
- Human–wildlife conflict in surrounding villages
- Habitat management and prey base augmentation
Conclusion
Kuno National Park is a critical conservation landscape in central India. Beyond its biodiversity significance, it has become a symbol of ecological restoration through the cheetah reintroduction initiative, marking a historic milestone in India’s wildlife conservation efforts.
