About Kuno National Park:
- It is located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
- It is nestled near the Vindhyan Hills.
- Originally established as Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in 1981, it was upgraded to a national park in 2018.
- The park’s historical significance lies in its role as a relocation site for Asiatic lions under the “Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project,”.
- It covers an area of 750 sq.km.
- It derives its name from the meandering Kuno River (one of the main tributaries of the Chambal River), which flows from south to north and divides the park into two sections.
- The park’s terrain is dotted with plateaus, valleys, and seasonal rivers, creating varied ecosystems.
- Vegetation: The park boasts diverse vegetation, including tropical dry deciduous forests, savannah grasslands, and riverine forests.
- Flora: Dominant trees include Khair (Acacia catechu), Salai (Boswellia serrata), and Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana).
- Fauna:
- The protected area of the forest is home to the jungle cat, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox, and dhole, along with more than 120 bird species.
- It was selected under the ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’.
- A total of 20 cheetahs were introduced in Kuno National Park (NP), eight from Namibia in September 2022, followed by 12 more from South Africa in February 2023 under the Cheetah Project.
