Kuno National Park & Project Cheetah

Project Cheetah: Reversing a Seventy-Year Ecological Void

On September 17, 2022, Kuno National Park entered the annals of global conservation history when eight wild African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia were released into quarantine enclosures by the Prime Minister of India, followed by twelve additional cheetahs translocated from South Africa in February 2023. This monumental event marked the realization of 'Project Cheetah', the world's first intercontinental translocation of a large wild carnivore.

The Asiatic cheetah was formally declared extinct in India in 1952 following centuries of relentless royal coursing hunts, trophy shooting, and loss of open grassland prey. For seven decades, India remained the only major country to have lost an apex cat species in modern times. Project Cheetah was conceived not merely to bring back a charismatic animal, but to restore the ecological health and evolutionary balance of India's critically threatened tropical grassland and open savanna biomes.

Kuno was selected after exhaustive scientific assessments by the Wildlife Institute of India evaluated dozens of potential sites across Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. Its unique combination of vast open grasslands, gentle rolling terrain, low human interference, and abundant herbivore prey rendered it the premier location for high-speed cheetah hunting chases.

• Historic Translocation: World's first intercontinental wild carnivore reintroduction, launched in September 2022.
• Reversing Extinction: Restoring the apex predator lost to India in 1952 after centuries of hunting.
• Savanna Restoration: Revitalizing open dry deciduous forest and tropical grassland ecosystems.
• International Scientific Partnership: Coordinated with Cheetah Conservation Fund (Namibia) and South African conservation authorities.

The Landscape: The Kuno River, Kardhai Woodlands and Open Vistas

Encompassing an area of 748 square kilometers in the northern Sheopur district within the Vindhyan hills, Kuno presents a landscape vastly different from the dense sal forests of eastern Madhya Pradesh. The vegetation is classified as northern tropical dry deciduous forest, heavily dominated by kardhai (Anogeissus pendula), khair (Acacia catechu), and salai (Boswellia serrata) trees.

The soul of the national park is the pristine Kuno River, a major tributary of the Chambal that flows centrally through the entire length of the reserve for over sixty kilometers. The river carves through sandstone valleys, nurturing lush riverine forests of jamun, arjun, and mahua along its banks, before opening into expansive, golden grassy plateaus that evoke the classic savanna landscapes of East Africa.

A cornerstone of Kuno's ecological success was the voluntary relocation of twenty-four forest villages that previously inhabited the core valley between 1998 and 2003. Originally prepared as a second home for Asiatic lions from Gir, these cleared agricultural fields naturally transformed over two decades into nutrient-rich perennial grasslands supporting thriving populations of chital, sambar, nilgai, and wild boar.

Ecological Web: Coexisting Predators and Native Prey

While cheetahs command global headlines, Kuno supports a remarkably diverse native predator guild. Indian leopards (Panthera pardus) thrive in robust numbers across the rocky ravines and kardhai hills, demonstrating fascinating territorial adjustments and spatial partitioning to avoid conflict with the reintroduced cheetahs.

The open grasslands and riverine scrub host thriving packs of Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) and golden jackals, while striped hyenas scour the savannah verges for carrion. Sloth bears inhabit the rocky sandstone overhangs, and caracals—one of India's rarest wild felines—prowl the dry acacia scrub.

The ungulate prey base that sustains these carnivores includes over twenty thousand spotted deer (chital), thousands of blue bulls (nilgai), four-horned antelopes (chausingha), chinkara (Indian gazelle), and wild boars. The Kuno River is also home to softshell turtles, mugger crocodiles, and over two hundred species of native and migratory birds, including the painted sandgrouse, sirkeer malkoha, and multiple species of vultures.

Safari Zones, Gates, and Wildlife Viewing Strategy

Tourism in Kuno National Park is organized through three primary entry gates, each accessing distinct sections of the sprawling savanna landscape. Tiktoli Gate is the primary and most accessible entrance, located on the northern perimeter near Sesaipura village. It provides access to the core Kuno river crossing, the central release bomas, and vast open grassy plateaus where cheetah tracking is focused.

Ahera Gate, situated further west along the river, offers rugged, undulating terrain characterized by kardhai-clad hillocks, seasonal streams, and high leopard and ungulate densities. Peepalbawadi Gate, on the southern flank, traverses untamed woodlands and remote rocky plateaus favored by sloth bears, wolves, and birding enthusiasts.

Safaris are conducted in authorized 4x4 open Gypsies with mandatory registered park naturalists. Early morning drives begin at dawn, when big cats are most active before the intense heat of midday sets in. Tracking cheetahs across open golden savannas—viewing them perched atop termite mounds scanning the horizon for chital—presents an unparalleled safari spectacle on the Indian subcontinent.

• Tiktoli Core Gate: Main access point near Sesaipura leading to central grasslands and riverbeds.
• Ahera Core Gate: Western entrance featuring river gorges, kardhai scrub, and high leopard activity.
• Peepalbawadi Gate: Southern wilderness approach known for tranquil birding and wolf tracking.
• Boma & Release Zones: Rotating safari access depending on current scientific tracking protocols.

Transit Infrastructure, Basecamp Sesaipura, and Seasons

Sesaipura village, situated along State Highway 24 near Tiktoli Gate, serves as the primary basecamp for Kuno, featuring modern forest rest houses, luxury glamping retreats, and eco-lodges developed to support growing eco-tourism. The nearest major commercial airport and railway junction is Gwalior (165 km northeast, approx. 3.5 to 4 hours driving time via Mohna and Pohri).

Alternatively, Kota in Rajasthan (140 km west, approx. 3 hours driving time) and Sawai Madhopur (120 km northwest, approx. 2.5 hours driving time via Sheopur) serve as convenient transit hubs, allowing travelers to combine tiger safaris in Ranthambore with cheetah tracking in Kuno.

Kuno is open for tourism from October 1 to June 30. Winter (November to February) brings cool, sunny days (20°C to 26°C) and crisp nights (8°C to 12°C), providing ideal conditions for photography across the golden grasslands. Summer (March to May) brings dry heat (up to 42°C), but offers prime wildlife tracking as animals concentrate around the permanent pools of the Kuno River.