{"id":13739,"date":"2026-10-29T12:50:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T07:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=13739"},"modified":"2026-10-29T12:57:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T07:27:54","slug":"kuno-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/kuno-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Kuno National Park, Terrain, Flora, Fauna, Latest News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, located in the <\/span><b>Sheopur district<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of <\/span><b>Madhya Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is one of India\u2019s important <\/span><b>wildlife conservation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> areas, known for its <\/span><b>dry deciduous forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>grasslands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and rich <\/span><b>biodiversity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Spread across approximately <\/span><b>748.76 square kilometres<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the park is home to <\/span><b>leopards, sloth bears, deer, wolves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and several <\/span><b>bird species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It gained national and international attention in <\/span><b>September 2022<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, when <\/span><b>African cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were reintroduced into India under <\/span><b>Project Cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, more than <\/span><b>70 years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after the species was declared extinct in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cheetah KNG22 dies after being shot:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>19-month-old male cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, son of <\/span><b>Nirva<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, was found injured on <\/span><b>25 October<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><b>Morena\u2019s forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, just outside <\/span><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He was rescued the same day, operated on in <\/span><b>Jabalpur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>five firearm pellets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were removed, but he died on the morning of <\/span><b>27 October<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is the <\/span><b>first reported cheetah shooting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/project-cheetah\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Project Cheetah<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> began in <\/span><b>September 2022<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Centre steps in with a high-level probe:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Environment Ministry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has taken serious note of the death and sent a <\/span><b>high-level team<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to investigate on the ground, examine the evidence and work with the <\/span><b>Madhya Pradesh Forest Department<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that <\/span><b>strict and swift action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> follows.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Madhya Pradesh forms a Special Task Force:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The state has set up its own <\/span><b>Special Task Force<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to find those responsible, a key step in protecting the cheetahs living in and around <\/span><b>Kuno<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park Location<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one of <\/span><b>central India\u2019s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> most important wildlife areas, and its location plays a big role in what makes it special.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno National Park is situated in the <\/span><b>Sheopur district<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of <\/span><b>Madhya Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in <\/span><b>central India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It lies in the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/vindhya-range\/\" target=\"_blank\"> <b>Vindhyan hill region<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, close to <\/span><b>Rajasthan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and forms part of a larger forest landscape known for its wildlife and natural vegetation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Area:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The national park covers approximately <\/span><b>748.76 sq. km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Earlier, the <\/span><b>Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covered around <\/span><b>344 sq. km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but its area was expanded when it was upgraded to a national park in <\/span><b>2018<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>River system:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park is named after the <\/span><b>Kuno River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a tributary of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/chambal-river\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Chambal River<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which flows through the region. The river and its surrounding water sources support wildlife and vegetation throughout the park.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park History<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has a long and interesting past, from a protected sanctuary to the home of India\u2019s cheetah comeback.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establishment in 1981:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno was originally established as the <\/span><b>Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><b>1981<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to protect the region\u2019s forests, wildlife and natural habitats. It was earlier known as <\/span><b>Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Historical background:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Kuno region was once associated with the <\/span><b>princely state of Gwalior<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its forests have a long history of wildlife conservation, particularly involving efforts to establish a population of <\/span><b>Asiatic lions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> outside <\/span><b>Gujarat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno was identified as a suitable location for introducing <\/span><b>Asiatic lions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/gir-national-park\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Gir National Park<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Gujarat. The objective was to establish a <\/span><b>second free-ranging population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Asiatic lions in India and reduce the risks associated with their concentration in a single region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National park status in 2018:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> On <\/span><b>December 10, 2018<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary was officially notified as <\/span><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its protected area was expanded to approximately <\/span><b>748.76 sq. km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to provide a larger and more secure habitat for wildlife.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Selection for cheetah reintroduction:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In <\/span><b>2009<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Kuno was identified as a potential location for reintroducing <\/span><b>cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into India. After years of planning, <\/span><b>Project Cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was launched on <\/span><b>September 17, 2022<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, marking a major milestone in India\u2019s wildlife conservation history.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park Geographical Features<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has a varied natural landscape that shapes its forests, wildlife and climate. Here is a quick look at the key features that define the park.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Vindhyan landscape:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno National Park is located in the <\/span><b>Vindhyan region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of central India, characterised by <\/span><b>hills, valleys, rocky terrain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and forested areas. This varied landscape provides suitable habitats for different wildlife species.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dry deciduous forests:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park is mainly covered by <\/span><b>tropical dry deciduous forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where many trees shed their leaves during the dry season. These forests are adapted to the region\u2019s <\/span><b>seasonal rainfall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and relatively dry climatic conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Grasslands and savannah habitat:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno also contains <\/span><b>open grasslands, dry savannah forests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>scrub vegetation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These habitats support herbivores such as <\/span><b>deer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>nilgai<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and provide important hunting grounds for large carnivores, particularly <\/span><b>cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kuno River:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Kuno River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an important geographical feature of the park. It flows through the landscape and provides water and <\/span><b>riverine habitats<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for several animals, birds and reptiles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Climate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The region experiences <\/span><b>hot summers, seasonal monsoon rainfall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>relatively cool winters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The availability of vegetation and water changes with the seasons, influencing wildlife movement and habitat conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park Flora &amp; Fauna<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kuno National Park supports a rich variety of plant and animal species because of its combination of <\/span><b>dry deciduous forests, grasslands, rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>scrublands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its diverse vegetation provides food, shelter and breeding habitats for several species.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Flora of Kuno National Park<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Vegetation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park is dominated by <\/span><b>dry deciduous forests, mixed woodlands, grasslands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>scrub vegetation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These different habitats support a wide variety of plant species and maintain the park\u2019s ecological balance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Major tree species:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Important trees found in Kuno include <\/span><b>Kardhai, Salai, Khair, Palash, Dhok<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Tendu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Other species, such as <\/span><b>Kachnar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Kadam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also contribute to the vegetation of the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Plant diversity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> According to <\/span><b>Madhya Pradesh Tourism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the park supports approximately <\/span><b>123 tree species, 71 shrub species, 32 exotic and climbing plant species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>34 bamboo and grass species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting its rich floral diversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kardhai trees:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Kardhai tree<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is particularly associated with Kuno\u2019s forests. It is known for becoming green with increasing atmospheric moisture, sometimes even before the arrival of <\/span><b>monsoon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rainfall.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Grassland vegetation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The grasslands provide grazing areas for <\/span><b>chital, nilgai<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other herbivores. These open habitats are especially important for maintaining the <\/span><b>prey population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> needed by cheetahs and other carnivores.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Fauna of Kuno National Park<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Major carnivores:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Apart from reintroduced <\/span><b>African cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Kuno is home to <\/span><b>Indian leopards, sloth bears, striped hyenas, Indian wolves, golden jackals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>jungle cats<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These predators play an important role in maintaining <\/span><b>ecological balance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Herbivorous animals:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park supports species such as <\/span><b>chital (spotted deer), sambar, nilgai (blue bull), blackbuck, four-horned antelope<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>wild boar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These animals form an important <\/span><b>prey base<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for large carnivores.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bird diversity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno is home to several bird species, including the <\/span><b>Indian peafowl, painted spurfowl, grey francolin, black-shouldered kite<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>ruddy shelduck<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its forests and water bodies provide feeding and nesting habitats for <\/span><b>resident and migratory birds<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reptiles and other wildlife:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park\u2019s wider ecosystem also supports reptiles such as <\/span><b>mugger crocodiles, gharials, Bengal monitor lizards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>turtles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, along with smaller mammals and other wildlife species.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park and the Cheetah Reintroduction Project<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the heart of <\/span><b>Project Cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India\u2019s bold effort to bring back a lost big cat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kuno National Park is now home to about 57 cheetahs:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> After the Indian-born female <\/span><b>KJP21<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> gave birth to <\/span><b>five cubs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India\u2019s total <\/span><b>cheetah population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rose to <\/span><b>60<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including <\/span><b>41 Indian-born cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Of these, <\/span><b>three<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> live in <\/span><b>Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which leaves roughly <\/span><b>57 cheetahs in Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Project Cheetah:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno National Park became the main site for <\/span><b>Project Cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, an ambitious wildlife conservation initiative launched by the <\/span><b>Government of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reintroduce cheetahs into the country after their local extinction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Extinction of cheetahs in India:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Asiatic cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was officially declared <\/span><b>extinct in India in 1952<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mainly due to <\/span><b>hunting, habitat loss<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>declining prey populations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its reintroduction after more than <\/span><b>seven decades<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> represents an important effort to restore a lost large carnivore.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>First cheetah release in 2022:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> On <\/span><b>September 17, 2022<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>eight African cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><b>Namibia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including <\/span><b>five females and three males<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, were brought to Kuno National Park and released into <\/span><b>quarantine enclosures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as part of the first phase of the project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Second cheetah release in 2023:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> On <\/span><b>February 18, 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, another <\/span><b>12 cheetahs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><b>South Africa<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, comprising <\/span><b>seven males and five females<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, were introduced into Kuno. This increased the initial number of translocated cheetahs to <\/span><b>20<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Objectives of the project:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The initiative aims to establish a <\/span><b>viable cheetah population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India, restore <\/span><b>grassland ecosystems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and strengthen <\/span><b>biodiversity conservation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It also seeks to improve the management of <\/span><b>prey species<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and their natural habitats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>International conservation initiative:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Project Cheetah is recognised as a major <\/span><b>intercontinental large carnivore translocation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> initiative, involving cooperation between <\/span><b>India, Namibia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>South Africa<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Conservation challenges:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The project faces challenges such as ensuring cheetah <\/span><b>survival and successful breeding<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, maintaining sufficient <\/span><b>prey populations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, managing habitats and reducing <\/span><b>human-wildlife conflict<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in surrounding areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Kuno National Park Significance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Kuno National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> matters far beyond its borders, for its wildlife, its habitats and the future of conservation in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wildlife conservation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno National Park plays an important role in protecting central India\u2019s <\/span><b>wildlife and biodiversity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its forests, grasslands and river habitats support a wide range of animals and plants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Restoration of cheetahs:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park gained international importance through <\/span><b>Project Cheetah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which marked the return of cheetahs to India after more than <\/span><b>70 years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and opened new opportunities for <\/span><b>wildlife restoration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Grassland ecosystem protection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno highlights the importance of conserving <\/span><b>grasslands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>semi-arid ecosystems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which support numerous herbivores, carnivores and other species but have often received less conservation attention than forests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Asiatic lion conservation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno has also been identified as a potential site for establishing a <\/span><b>second population of Asiatic lions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> outside <\/span><b>Gir<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it an important landscape for long-term <\/span><b>big-cat conservation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> planning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ecological connectivity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The national park forms part of a larger <\/span><b>central Indian forest landscape<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> connected with <\/span><b>Rajasthan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helping maintain wildlife habitats and supporting <\/span><b>ecological connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> across the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wildlife tourism:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kuno has gained popularity as a <\/span><b>wildlife tourism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> destination in Madhya Pradesh, particularly following the cheetah reintroduction project. <\/span><b>Responsible tourism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can create <\/span><b>livelihood opportunities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for local communities while encouraging <\/span><b>conservation awareness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scientific research and conservation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The park provides opportunities for studying <\/span><b>cheetah adaptation, wildlife behaviour, habitat restoration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>human-wildlife interactions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Lessons from these efforts can support future <\/span><b>wildlife conservation programmes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, named after the Kuno River, features diverse ecosystems, plateaus, valleys, and seasonal rivers. Read more about Kuno National Park, Terrain, Flora, Fauna, Latest News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":107207,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[1494],"class_list":["post-13739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-studies","tag-kuno-national-park","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13739"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131111,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13739\/revisions\/131111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}