Kuno National Park

Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary or Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary is located between latitudes of 25°30’- 25°53’E & longitude of 77°07’-77°26’N, in the Sheopur district of north western Madhya Pradesh, a state in the central part of India. It is about 120 km. from Gwalior. 344.686 sq. km. was set-aside as a Wildlife anctuary in 1981. Since then this has been elevated to the Kuno Wildlife Division with an additional area of 900 sq. km. as a buffer area around the Sanctuary.

To prevent the extinction of the Asiatic Lion, the Wildlife Institute of India conducted a survey in search of a new home for the big cat which is presently confined to a single population in the whole world in and around Gir forest in the Indian state of Gujarat. The Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary was selected as the site to establish a second free ranging population of this mega carnivore.

As mentioned the Gir Forest in the State of Gujarat, India is the last natural habitat of the 300 odd wild Asiatic Lions, plans are afoot to re-introduce some to Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in the neighboring State of Madhya Pradesh in India to ensure their genetic diversity and longterm survival against epidemics and natural calamities.