Kuno National Park | 19 Mar 2025

Why in News?  

On 17^th March, 2025 a female cheetah and her four cubs were released in the wild forest of Kuno National Park (KNP), Madhya Pradesh . 

• This takes the total number of cheetahs in KNP to 26, including 14 cubs born in India. 

Key Points 

• Kuno National Park: 
  • Kuno National Park is a protected area in Madhya Pradesh , which was given the status of a  national park in 2018 . 
  • It was established in 1981 as  a wildlife sanctuary. 
  • It is spread across Sheopur and Morena districts of the state . 
  • Kuno National Park is the habitat for cheetahs relocated from Namibia and South Africa. 
• Cheetah relocation project:  
  • The Cheetah Reintroduction Project in India was formally launched on  17^th September 2022, with the aim of restoring the population of cheetahs in the country, which were declared extinct in 1952. 
  • The project is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department , Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and cheetah experts from Namibia and South Africa. 
•  Importance 
  •  The reintroduction of cheetahs will strengthen the ecosystem and revive the grassland ecosystem, which will also be beneficial for other species. 
  • This will help in conserving biodiversity and establishing balance in the food chain . 
  • The number of tourists will increase and employment opportunities will be created, thereby boosting the local economy.