CM Releases 12 More Cheetahs in Kuno

• 20 Feb 2023

Why in News?

On February 18, 2023, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released 12 cheetahs brought from South Africa into the Kuno Palpur National Park located in Sheopur district. These include 7 male cheetahs and 5 female cheetahs.

Key Points

• With these 12 cheetahs brought from South Africa, there are now 20 cheetahs in Kuno. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released 8 cheetahs brought from Namibia in Kuno on his birthday on September 17, 2022.
• It is noteworthy that Palpur Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh is the most unique destination for wildlife lovers. Kuno has breathtaking forests with abundance of kardhai, khair and salai and there are dozens of grass-grazing wildlife in vast grasslands.
• This area was designated a sanctuary with about 350 sq km area was shaped like a leaf- in the middle of which river Kuno flows like a backbone. This river not only helps in keeping a constant water supply in the forest and irrigating the forest, but it also gives the name to this protected area.
• Kuno National Park/Kuno Wildlife Division and the surrounding area have historically been rich in wildlife. This area was also known as dense forest in ancient times. The area around the Kuno River has been rich in biodiversity since ancient times.
• Realizing the importance of this place, the state government established the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in the year 1981 with an area of about 345 sq.km within a large forest area of about 3300 sq.km. To further strengthen wildlife protection and ensure proper management of this area, the Kuno Wildlife Division of 1235 sq km was established in the year 2002 by adding an additional 891 sq km area as buffer.
• The area includes dry grasslands and tropical riverine forests. It is equally rich in different species of animals. This area is a rare habitat of various favorable factors for wildlife. This area was identified as the most suitable place for the rehabilitation of cheetahs.
• The forest area of Kuno National Park is mainly dominated by kardhai, salai, khair trees, mostly among mixed forests. It also helps in having a variety of species of flora and fauna. In total, 123 species of trees, 71 species of shrubs, 32 species of vines and exotic vegetation, 34 species of bamboo and grass are found in Kuno National Park.