Introduction kuno national park
Kuno National Park is located in the Morena and Sheopur districts in Madhya Pradesh. is like a special home for animals. When you go inside, you’ll find the cool Kardhai, Khair, and Salai forests where animals live. You can see lots of animals playing in big grassy fields, which are even bigger than in other famous places like Kanha or Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Kuno National Park is a fantastic place to visit if you love seeing animals and want to explore their amazing home in the wild.
Once upon a time, there was a special place that began as a sanctuary, resembling a leaf and stretching across 350 square kilometers. The sanctuary’s heart was the Kuno River, flowing through its center like a spine. This river wasn’t just a pretty sight but also played a vital role in supplying water to the area, keeping the forest hydrated, and earning the sanctuary its unique name.
As time passed, there was a grand plan to bring back Asiatic Lions to this region. So some concerns were raised about the sanctuary’s adequacy for such a noble mission. To meet the requirements and ensure the lions had a suitable home, the status of the area was upgraded from a sanctuary to a National Park.This upgrade came with an additional 400 square kilometers, making the park a vast and beautiful 748 square kilometers of pristine forest.
This National Park is not alone but also it is a part of something even bigger called the Kuno Wildlife Division, covering a whopping 1235 square kilometers. It as a large, secure home for animals and plants, so they can live and grow without worries. So, thanks to thoughtful decisions and a touch of expansion, this area has transformed into a magnificent haven for nature and wildlife.
Forest & Vegetation
Kuno National Park showcases an extraordinary mix of forests and vegetation, unlike any other in Madhya Pradesh and its surroundings. To put it simply, in forestry language, the forests here are grouped into various types.
- “Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest”
- Southern Tropical Very Dry Teak Forest
- Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest
- Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest
- Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Scrub
- Edaphic Climax
- Anogeissus pendula Forest – “Kardhai”
- Anogeissus pendula Scrub – “Kardhai Scrub”
- Boswellia Forest – “Salai”
- Butea Forest – “Palash”
- Degradation Stages
- Dry Savannah Forest
- Dry Grass Land
- Primary Seral Types
- Tropical Riverine Forest
- Northern Tropical Thorn Forest
- Ravine Thorn Forest
- Zizyphus Scrub
Biodiversity
Kuno National Park is home to a variety of trees like Kardhai, Salai, and Khair in its mixed forests. It supports many different plants and animals, including 123 types of trees, 71 shrubs, 32 climbers & exotic plants, and 34 bamboo and grass types. There are also 33 types of animals like mammals, 206 types of birds, 14 types of fish, 33 types of reptiles, and 10 types of amphibians. All these different plants and animals make Kuno National Park one of the most diverse places in the Central Indian Landscape.
kuno national park animals list :
- Spotted deer or Chital (Axis axis)
- Sambar (Cervus unicolor)
- Barking deer or Indian Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak)
- Chousingha or Four-horned antilope (Tetracerus quadricornis)
- Nilgai or Blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus)
- Indian Gazelle or Chinkara (Gazella gazella)
- Black buck (Antilope cervicapra)
- Gaur or Indian Bison (Bos gaurus)
- Leopard (Panthera pardus)
- Wild dog or Dhole (Cuonal pinus)
- Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena)
- Indian Wolf (Canis lupus)
- Jackal (Canis aureus)
- Wild boar (Sus scrofa)
- Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)
- Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis)
- Jungle cat (Felius chaus)
- Desert cat (Felin sylvestris)
- Common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)
- Small Indian civet (Viverricula indica)
- Grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii)
- Small indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus)
- Ruddy mongoose (Herpestes smithii)
- Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis)
- Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica)
- Indian gerbil (Tatera indica)
- Indian tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri)
- Hanuman langur/Common langur (Presbytis entellus)
- Rhesus monkey (Macaque mulata)
- Cheetahs (newly add)
BEST TIME TO VISIT KUNO NATIONAL PARK
Kuno National Park is open for visitors most of the year, except during the rainy season as per forest guidelines. The best time to go is between October and March when the weather is nice and you can enjoy the park’s natural beauty.
how to reach kuno national park:
Reaching Kuno National Park by Air :-
To get to Kuno Palpur, the nearest airport is in Gwalior, just around 160 kilometers from the sanctuary. You can easily find pre-paid taxi services at Gwalior airport to take you to Kuno Palpur wildlife sanctuary.
Reaching Kuno National Park by Train/ Railways :-
The nearest railway station to Kuno Palpur is Gwalior, just 185 kilometers from the sanctuary. Gwalior railway station (GWL) is well-connected to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Pune, and Bengaluru.