Wildlife Tourism

MP's Kuno National Park reopens, but tourists wait to see cheetahs

The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the only home of cheetahs in the country, reopened for tourists on Sunday after being shut for the annual monsoon season. But, the two-year wait of visitors to get a glimpse of the cheetahs is not yet over as the felines have not been released into the wild so far. Nearly eight decades after the cheetahs were hunted to extinction, eight large carnivores were brought from Namibia to the KNP in September 2022 and put in bomas (enclosures) to revive their population in India. Later, 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February 2023 as part of the Indian government's project to reintroduce cheetahs into the country. The park, spread over an area of 1,235 sq km including 487 sq km buffer zone, has reopened and visitors are allowed from 6.30 am to 10 am and from 3 pm to 6 pm, KNP's director Uttam Sharma told PTI on Sunday. He said the park is home to 24 cheetahs, the fastest land animals, including 12 adults brought from Namibia and So

Centre turned to Reliance's wildlife facility after cheetah deaths in Kuno

After three cheetahs died in just over a month last year in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, the National Tiger Conservation Authority in May 2023 called in experts from Reliance's wildlife facility in Gujarat to review health monitoring protocols, official records show. The National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) Assistant Inspector General of Forests Abhishek Kumar wrote to the CEO of Reliance Industries' Jamnagar-based Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) on May 11, 2023, requesting that a team of experts be sent to Kuno to "review health monitoring protocols" and provide advice to "ensure the welfare of the cheetahs" following the deaths of three spotted felines between March 27 and May 9. Kumar's letter said Project Cheetah was the first intercontinental reintroduction of a wild, large carnivore species with "no comparable historical precedent" and it was not surprising that a project of such a "magnitude and complexity would face many ...

National Wildlife Day 2024: Why is this observed; all you need to know

National Wildlife Day highlights the critical need to protect endangered species and prevent their extinction, also to encourage a shared sense of responsibility towards all living beings

Amid setbacks govt approves web series to showcase efforts to save Cheetah

Amid concerns about the wellbeing of the cheetahs translocated from Africa, the Centre has approved a proposal for the filming of a four-part web series on Project Cheetah to "showcase the efforts of the country to the world", official records show. It is learned that the filming is likely to start in September, around the second anniversary of Project Cheetah on September 17. In a letter to the chief wildlife warden of Madhya Pradesh on July 21, Vaibhav Chandra Mathur, Deputy Inspector General of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), wrote that the eighth technical committee of the authority accorded approval to the proposal for a web series on the world's first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore -- Project Cheetah. "In this regard, it is requested to kindly facilitate M/s Shen Films and Planting Productions to undertake and complete filming at the Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary as per standard terms and conditions, so that .

Kuno faces prey, predator challenges; Gandhi Sagar not ready for cheetahs

Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, the first home to translocated cheetahs in India, continues to struggle with a high leopard population and a low prey base, while the twin challenges have delayed preparations at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary that will be the second site for cheetah introduction. Summary records from meetings of the Centre's Cheetah Project Steering Committee reveal that prey augmentation and leopard management are among the major challenges facing the grand initiative since the reintroduction of cheetahs in India in September 2022. The low prey density is also one of the reasons why cheetahs spent an extended period in enclosures in Kuno after being brought back from the wild in August last year, following the death of three cheetahs due to septicemia. As an interim solution, authorities have been introducing prey into both Kuno and Gandhi Sagar that is also in Madhya Pradesh. The high leopard population in both areas also prompted the initiation of a ...

Over 2,500 people died in 5 years in human-elephant conflicts: Govt data

Human-elephant conflicts resulted in 2,853 human deaths during the past five years, with the number of fatalities reaching a five-year high of 628 in 2023, according to government data. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday said "elephants caused" 587 human deaths in 2019, 471 in 2020, 557 in 2021, 610 in 2022 and 628 in 2023. The data revealed that Odisha recorded 624 such deaths during this period, followed by Jharkhand with 474, West Bengal with 436, Assam with 383, Chhattisgarh with 303, Tamil Nadu with 256, Karnataka with 160 and Kerala with 124. The minister said the management of wildlife habitats was primarily the responsibility of state governments and Union Territory administrations and that the central government provided financial and technical support under the centrally sponsored Project Tiger & Elephant scheme for the protection of animals, their habitats and corridors, addressing ...

Cheetah trackers in Kuno refuse to kill goats over religious beliefs

MP's Kuno National Park, home to 26 Cheetahs, employed around 30 villagers of Sheopur as trackers to monitor the big cats

Shivpuri: The stronghold of Scindias left behind on the tourism map

Even though Shivpuri is well-connected by roads and identified as one of the important tourist destinations of Madhya Pradesh, it has yet to fully capitalise on its tourism potential

Namibian cheetah births 3 cubs: What is India's total cheetah count now

As part of the Centre's ambitious 'Project Cheetah', a total of 20 cheetahs were relocated to India from Africa. Of these, seven imported cheetahs have died since March 2023

Three cubs born to Namibian cheetah at Kuno National Park: Environment min

A Namibian cheetah has given birth to three cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, weeks after three cubs were born to another feline. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared the news on X, saying, "Kuno's new cubs! Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs." He further said in the post, "Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharat's wildlife thrive." On January 3, Kuno National Park officials reported that Namibian cheetah Aasha had given birth to three cubs. Before this, a cheetah named Siyaya had given birth to four cubs last March. However, only one of them survived. Jwala, Aasha and Siyaya are among the cheetahs translocated to India from Namibia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Project Cheetah', aimed at re-introducing the only large carnivore species that went extinct in independent India. The first

Wildlife body concludes two-day bird survey at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

The data of all the birds was added to the eBird app. The data will analysed to know the population of which species can be increased

Rhinos return to Assam's Laokhowa-Burachapori sanctuaries after 40 years

Rhinos have returned to Laokhowa and Burachapori wildlife sanctuaries of Assam, 40 years after the population of pachyderms in the area was wiped out due to poaching, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. These protected areas had also witnessed human encroachment over the years, which was cleared by the authorities last year, a forest official said. "Happy to share that after 40 years our iconic Rhinos have returned to Laokhowa and Burachapori. They have returned within 1 year of our successful anti-encroachment operation in the region," Sarma wrote on X. A total of 51.7 sq km of forest cover has been retrieved through eviction drives in 2023, he said on Friday. Kaziranga National Park (KNP) Director Sonali Ghosh said two rhinos have been spotted in the Laokhowa-Burachapori wildlife sanctuaries, which are part of 'Greater Kaziranga', after almost a gap of 40 years. She said the Laokhowa-Burachapori forest in Nagaon district had a population of 45-50 rhinos till 1983. "They we

KNP authorities plan visitor engagement activities to raise awareness

The Kaziranga National Park (KNP) authorities to sensitise visitors towards conservation activities and popularise the Kohora Centenary Museum have decided to host an enriching and immersive programme titled 'Kajir Ronghangpi Tales' on each Saturday during the tourist season. KNP Director Sonali Ghosh told PTI that visitors to the park will get an opportunity to meet the persons behind the conservation efforts of the heritage park and delve into the cultural and rich heritage of the region. The event will showcase the park's treasure trove of natural beauty and biodiversity through live talks and screening of insightful documentaries at the museum, she said. The 'Kajir Ronghangpi Tales' programme is an initiative to honour the cultural legacy and narratives that enrich the fabric of Kaziranga and its surrounding regions, the KNP director said. It aims to create a platform for cultural exchange and appreciation, inviting visitors to embark on a journey of discovery and connection wi

Radio collars of six cheetahs at KNP removed for health examination

The radio collars of six cheetahs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh have been removed for their "health examination" by veterinarians from the KNP and experts from Namibia and South Africa, officials said on Monday. Notably, five adult cheetahs and three cubs have died at the KNP in Sheopur district since March this year. A total of 11 cheetahs - six male and five female - are currently inside the boma (enclosure), an official said. "So far, the radio collars of six cheetahs have been removed by KNP veterinarians and experts from Namibia and South Africa on the ground of health examination, the official said. The cheetahs whose radio collars have been removed are identified as Gourav, Shourya, Pavan, Pavak, Asha and Dheera, the official said, adding "the condition of all these cheetahs is healthy." An official release issued on Saturday also said, For the purpose of health examination by the veterinary team of Kuno along with experts from Namibia and South Africa, radio

A wild tamasha

Even as we virtuously set ourselves goals to arrest climate change, the middle class Indians' knowledge of nature, appears to have barely progressed from 50 years ago

Special parks for Swamp deer, Sarus crane must be developed: CM Adityanath

Emphasising on the protection of wildlife, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that special parks should be developed for Swamp deers and Sarus cranes in the dense forests of Uttar Pradesh. Swamp deer, also known as Barasingha, is the state animal of the state and Sarus crane is the state bird. Addressing an event organised by the Forest Department here, Adityanath said, The department should work with a positive spirit to develop the forests in the form of eco-tourism. Cleanliness of the water bodies present in the forests and plantation campaigns on their banks should be promoted on a large scale. Departments which cause maximum damage to the environment and natural resources must be identified, he said and asked the officials to work out a way to utilise the CSR funds of these units for environmental protection. "We have to create new wetlands around Ganga and Yamuna. Forests have to be developed in the form of ecotourism. Special parks should be developed amid forests

More cheetahs to arrive in Kuno, tourist safari allowed from Feb: MP CM

Eight cheetahs from Namibia were released into the park in September last year as part of an ambitious project to revive the extinct cheetah population in the country

MoU delay holds up translocation of 12 cheetahs from South Africa to India

A dozen cheetahs quarantined in South Africa for more than four months have lost fitness in their wait to be flown to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) as a formal signing of an agreement is holding up their inter-continental translocation, wildlife experts have said. They said prolonged quarantine is taking a toll on the health of these big cats, who are slated to join the eight cheetahs imported from Namibia and released in KNP in Sheopur district in mid-September. In fact, the 12 South African cheetahs seven males and five females - have not hunted for themselves even once after being kept in bomas (small enclosures), said wildlife experts in know of India's cheetah reintroduction plan. Though there has been some forward movement in implementation of Project Cheetah with South Africa in recent days, Pretoria is yet to ink a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian government for transfer of the spotted cats to KNP. Three of them have been kept in Phinda quarant

The Shutter-happy royal who found his calling on spotting his first leopard

Shaaz Jung, who left a corporate career in the US to pursue his passion for wildlife photography, says the animal is extremely rare and shy, making it difficult to capture on camera

Lensman Steve Winter on his iconic shots, big cats and love for Indian food

Winter talks to Ruchika Chitravanshi about how he composes shots in his mind before actually shooting them and why he took up an Indian cooking course