The Kuno National Park has recently become the spotlight of India. A country, which lost the Asiatic Cheetahs decades ago decided to bring back the ruling legacy of the wild cat. Chosen to be the ideal spot for the relocation to take place, Kuno in Madhya Pradesh is emerging as the new attraction for people worldwide. An ornament in the Vindhya Hills, it was first established in the year 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary with an area stretching over 350 sq km in Sheopur and Morena districts at the initial stage. It was in 2018 that it gained the status of a National Park.
THE FLORA: The vegetation of the protected area includes Anogeissus pendula forest and scrub, Boswellia and Butea forest, dry savanna forest and grassland and tropical riverine forest. Shaped like a leaf, with the River Kuno forming the center spine, the park is made up of the forests of Kardhai, Khair and Salai along with vast meadows and grasslands, some of which are bigger than the neighboring parks of Kanha and Bandhavgarh. In all, a total of 123 species of trees, 71 species of shrubs, 32 species of climbers and exotic species and 34 species of bamboo and grasses are found in Kuno National Park.
THE FAUNA: Owing to the immense floral diversity of the park, Kuno is home to a wide variety of animals and birds including Indian leopards, striped hyenas, feral zebu, Bengal foxes and the newly introduced Cheetahs. Over 130 species of resident and migratory birds also occur here. Over 30 species of big mammals, over 200 species of birds, 14 species of fishes, 33 species of reptiles and 10 species of amphibians. Such a high number of both floral and faunal species make it one of the most biodiverse areas of central Indian landscape.
EXPLORING THE JUNGLE: There are morning as well as evening safaris that make the most of your visit to Kuno. The drive through the park is very pleasant with limited safari jeeps, and there is not too much crowd as seen in other wildlife parks.
LEOPARDS OF KUNO: Even though Kuno National Park has never been in the limelight before, not many of us know that the park is among the regions with the highest density of leopards per sq km in the country. Leopards are the apex predators here and the camera traps have revealed a wealth of information about the leopard population in Kuno. Besides, the successful relocation of the Cheetahs will now enhance the popularity of this park and very soon be counted in the top destinations for wildlife and bird enthusiasts.
ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES: The predominant communities in the area are Sahariyas, Gujjars and Yadavs. The main livelihoods of people are agriculture, pastoralism, casual labor and collection of non-timber forest products. People of Moghiya and Bhil tribes, well-known for their hunting abilities, reside in low numbers amongst the fringe villages. The other communities are Dhakad, Jatav and Thakur, who own some of the largest agricultural holdings.
Cheetah Reintroduction in India With a wildlife diversity like none, India has once again managed to gather all the attention of the world. From the Himalayas in the north to the Indian Ocean in the South, from the Thar desert in the west to the rainforests of East India, our country takes pride in the various species of animals and birds which reside here. On September 17th, 2022, 8 cheetahs arrived for the first time after 70 years of its extinction. Namibia, which is home to over 7000 plus cheetahs, exported the wild cats after several long years of negotiations.
EARLY RELOCATIONS: The current Prime Minister isn't the first leader to recognise the value of charismatic wild species for a holistic development of the country. The very first evidence dates back to the year 1949, when the first Prime Minister of India - Jawaharlal Nehru gifted an elephant calf “Indira” to the war torn children of Japan. In upcoming years, India relocated Asiatic elephants to various countries like the U.S.A, Soviet Union, China, Turkey, Germany and many more. An epitome of non-violence, for years India has promoted animal love through its various conservation programs and has been looked up by many countries around the globe.
EARLY DISCUSSIONS OF CHEETAH RELOCATION: The debate over whether cheetah reintroduction compatible with the stated aims of wildlife conservation, started soon after extinction was confirmed. In the 1970s, the Indian Department of Environment had written a formal letter to the Government of Iran, requesting for the relocation of Asiatic cheetahs and also received a positive response. But the talks stalled after the Shah of Iran was deposed in the Iranian Revolution. Post this, the idea was dropped in 2010 when Iran demanded for an Asiatic lion in exchange of the cheetahs and never really supported the whole idea of relocation due to lower numbers in its own region.
THE INITIAL SURVEYS: For the purpose of cheetah relocation, a meeting of cheetah experts was organized at Gajner in Rajasthan in September 2009. The experts argued for the introduction of the southeast African cheetah as the Asiatic cheetah survives only in Iran, its population numbers less than 100 individuals, and the Iranian government's repeated reluctance to supply said cheetahs for Indian efforts. The Ministry of Environment & Forests approved the recommendation for a detailed survey of potential reintroduction sites in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, which were shortlisted during the consultative meeting. Four more Indian states - Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra were also considered. The survey would have formed the basis for the roadmap of reintroduction of cheetahs in India, and would have been carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
THE CHALLENGES: The reintroduced population needs to be protected from anthropogenic threats, and the potential impact of unnaturally high competition among cheetahs and other predators needs to be managed. Due to the cheetah’s large home ranges and a tendency to occur at low densities, release sites should be part of a larger suitable landscape. In semi-arid regions of Namibia, cheetahs utilize a huge home range of about 1500 sq km. At the same time, cheetahs are one of the most adaptable species and will be able to survive the climatic conditions of India. In parts of Africa, where cheetahs are found, the temperatures can vary from very, very hot during the day to cold at night. Therefore, cheetahs can adapt to seasonal shifts.
With such challenges ahead of India, this relocation is currently a very sensitive procedure. With careful analysis and under expert supervision, all we can do is wait and watch and hope for the success of this plan.
WHY KUNO: Kuno is chosen as the ideal site for this momentous project for many reasons Few of them are:
THE BROADER PICTURE: The introduction of the cheetah is not only a species recovery program but an effort to restore ecosystems with a lost element that has played a significant role in their evolutionary history, allow ecosystems to provide services to their full potential, and use the cheetah as an umbrella species for conserving the biodiversity of grasslands, savanna and open forest systems. Successful conservation introductions are a blend of best science, technology, sociological aspects and commitment of financial resources. These aspects are integrated in this Action Plan based on the modern scientific approach recommended by the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines for reintroduction and other conservation translocations, providing the framework for bringing back the charismatic cheetah to India.
Are you looking for cheetah safari in kuno India with luxury accomodation?
A Unit of Tigerwalah | Developed By EVA WEB TECH
