Kuno WLS

[Vikram Nanjappa]

Made a quick visit to Kuno WLS in Madhya Pradesh. It is the site for the relocation of Lions from Gir. All villages have been relocated from the Park and the habitat is fantastic.Decent amount of ungulates , was surprised to see a large number of vultures. A lot of feral cattle in the Park - but this could be a boon . T - 38 ( a tiger ) has migrated from Ranthambore a few months ago and has made Kuno his home- he is enjoying the feral cattle !He has been sighted a few times , been caught on Camera Traps and even on a short video clip shot on a forest guards mobile !I saw his pugmark , and it is hoped that more Tigers from Ranthambore will follow in his footsteps. Sharing some photos.This park was also shortlisted for the Cheetah relocation but the habitat is not suitable for the Cheetah , Kuno is a woodland habitat.

[Vikram Nanjappa]

Kuno Habitat

[Vikram Nanjappa]

Kuno River

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice place documented. The habitat looks good for Tiger or Lions. Hope they do the relocation soon. How big is the area? Thanks for sharing the information.

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

Nice documentation. Looks good. Hope the relocation gets on soon. But wouldn't T38 have to be relocated if lions are to be brought in?
TFS

[Vikram Nanjappa]

The Lions from Gir will never arrive , in the meantime the Kuno WLS will hopefully be repopulated by more transient Tiger from Ranthambore . It is 390 sqkm in size( lrager than Ranthambore ) and if you include buffers it is 1200 sqkm.So thereotically it can hold at least 30 - 40 Tigers in the WLS alone.

[Lakshminarayanan Nataraja]

It is amusing to note that the tigers are set to populate the landscape meant for reintroducing lions !
With Gujarat government reluctant to take a stand on relocating lions and tigers taking over the area, Asiatic lions have a tenuous future. All the eggs in one basket is too dangerous.
Meanwhile, tigers are time and again proving that they are very versatile and given a chance they will do really well.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Vikram,
Nice documentation. Good that we got some first hand information.

The tigers are trying their best to defy the adverse conditions and reach forests. I wish we can recreate contiguity between our forests.

Kuno is known to have transient tigers visiting it. Unfortunately, the prey base is not good. The feral cattle provides some respite.

I wish the Gujarat Government rises above narrow regional politics and decides to save the lion and allow the translocation of lions to Kuno.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi