Kuno National Park

Kuno covers around seven hundred and fifty square kilometres of grassland, dry deciduous forest and ravines along the Kuno river, prepared over decades as a second home for Asiatic lions in a plan that stalled. In 2022 it received cheetahs instead: animals flown in from Namibia and South Africa in an attempt to establish the species in India, where it was declared extinct in 1952. Several have died and cubs have been born since, and the project remains contested among ecologists. Access to cheetah areas has been limited and phased. The park also holds leopard, striped hyena, jackal, sloth bear and chinkara.

History

Kuno was established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary of about 344.686 km2, and in the 1990s it was chosen as a possible site for the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project, meant to create a second lion population in India. In 2009 it was also proposed for the reintroduction of cheetahs, and in 2018 it became a national park of 748.76 km2 (Wikipedia, Kuno National Park).

Highlights

• The cheetahs - reintroduced African animals in enclosures and free-ranging areas.
• The grassland - open country prepared for large predators.
• The Kuno river - ravines and riverine forest through the park.
• The other wildlife - leopard, hyena, chinkara and a strong bird list.

When to go

October to March for comfortable conditions; the park closes in the monsoon. Cheetah viewing arrangements have changed repeatedly since 2022 and should be checked before travelling.

Things to know

Cheetah sightings are not guaranteed and access rules have shifted frequently; some animals remain in enclosures. The project is scientifically contested, with deaths among the introduced animals. Tourism facilities are still developing.

Nearby

Gwalior lies northeast; Ranthambhore is northwest in Rajasthan.

Key facts