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The scientist says Kuno National Park is unsuitable to host all 20 cheetahs, as there is not enough prey.
Key Takeaway
- The Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, which currently houses 20 cheetahs imported from Africa, lacks sufficient prey to support all animals.
- While the Rajasthan government offered to house some animals in the Mukundra Tiger Reserve, which is smaller but well-equipped.
The Kuno National Park (KNP)
- About
- Kuno National Park is a wildlife sanctuary in the Sheopur district of MP, established in 1981.
- It was designated as a national park in 2018.
- It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests.
- The National Park covers an area of 748.76 square kilometres.
- The Kuno River, one of the Chambal River’s principal tributaries, runs the length of the National Park division.
- Palpur-Kuno park was chosen as a habitat for Cheetahs and Asiatic lions by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Wildlife Trust of India.
- Cheetahs previously inhabited India’s northern plains and became extinct in 1948.
- The Kuno can support all four of India’s large cat populations.
- The tiger, the leopard, the Asiatic lion, and the cheetah have all coexisted in the same environments.
- Before, they were depleted due to overhunting and habitat degradation.
Why is Kuno suitable for the Cheetah reintroduction Plan?
- The Kuno National Park has diverse habitats conducive for lions and cheetahs constituted by;
- Open woodlands
- Savanna
- Dry deciduous forests.
- Evergreen riverine forests.
- Forest grasses are widespread in valley ecosystems, but plateau-top grasses are shorter.
- The National Park is part of a vast forested landscape comprised of the Sheopur-Shivpuri forests.
- It encompasses an area of -6800 square kilometres.
- Early this year, the lone tiger returned to Ranthambore.
- The leopard and striped hyena are the only giant carnivores in the National Park (2021).
- Wolves have been recorded in the degraded forests beyond the National Park.
- The leopard population density in Kuno National Park is 8.9 per 100 square kilometres.
Cheetahs
- About
- The cheetah is one of the most ancient big cat species, with ancestors dating back more than five million years to the Miocene epoch.
- The world’s fastest land animal, found in Africa and Asia.
- Threats
- Human-wildlife conflict, habitat decline, prey loss, and illegal trafficking are all issues.
- African Cheetah
- Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus jubatus
- Habitat: African Savannahs
- Characteristics: They are bigger than Asiatic Cheetahs.
- IUCN status: Vulnerable
- CITES Appendix I
- Asiatic Cheetah
- Characteristics: Smaller and paler than the African cheetah.
- IUCN status: Critically Endangered
- Status in India: Declared extinct in India in 1952
- Distribution: Only 40-50 and found only in Iran.
Pic Courtesy: The Hindu
Content Source: The Hindu