Kuno

Kuno National Park is in the Gwalior Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh, named after the Kuno River that flows through it. Since 2018 it has covered 748.76 km², with a 924 km² buffer zone^[1]. It is the first site for the African cheetah translocation to India.

Mammals include chital, sambar, nilgai, chinkara, blackbuck and langurs, with leopard, sloth bear, dhole, striped hyena and Indian wolf as predators. The Kuno River holds mugger crocodile, gharial and Indian softshell turtle. A 2007 survey recorded 129 bird species^[1].

Vegetation ranges from tropical dry deciduous forest to savannah grassland, with riverine forest along the river. Dominant trees include Acacia catechu, salai (Boswellia serrata), tendu, palash and dhok^[1].

The park lies in the Vindhyan hill region of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion.

The park has a dry deciduous forest climate.

Palpur fort, built in the 18th century by the rulers of Karauli state, lies in the core area. In 1998 to 2003 about 1,650 people from 24 villages, mostly Saharia tribal people, were resettled outside the protected area^[1].

Kuno was established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary of 344.686 km². In December 2018 it became a national park of 748.76 km². In the 1990s it was considered for the Asiatic lion reintroduction, and in 2013 the Supreme Court ordered Gujarat to send Gir lions to Madhya Pradesh^[1].

The cheetah reintroduction is the main attraction. Eight cheetahs arrived from Namibia on 17 September 2022 and 12 more in February 2023^[1].

The nearest airport and railway station are Gwalior Airport and Gwalior Junction^[1].

Project Cheetah began in 2022, with the first wild releases in March 2023 and more in February 2025. Some experts and conservationists have criticized the project^[1].