Slow Pace Of Grassland Restoration In Kuno Affects Growth Of Herbivores, Conservationists Say
The reintroduction of cheetahs in Kuno National Park was expected to ensure fast restoration of grassland there, but the restoration of grassland has not been on expected lines, the conservationists say.
Bhopal: “Slow pace” of grassland restoration in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has adversely affected growth of the herbivores, the prey base of the translocated cheetahs in Kuno, conservationists say.
The reintroduction of cheetahs in Kuno National Park was expected to ensure fast restoration of grassland there, but the restoration of grassland has not been on expected lines, the conservationists say.
“Lack of grassland restoration has adversely affected the growth of herbivorous animals, forcing Kuno to depend on other wildlife sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh to improve the prey base of cheetahs in the national park”, wildlife activist Ajey Dubey said.
The grassland restoration measures need to be strengthened and accelerated in Kuno to improve the habitat of the herbivores, leading to their growth, Mr. Dubey said.
Kuno National Park is now depending on other wildlife sanctuaries like Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh to feed the cheetahs there, he added.
Herbivore species such as blackbucks, spotted deer, Nilgai, and deer have been translocated from other wildlife sanctuaries of the state to improve the prey base in Kuno.
This apart, hunting of deer and spotted deer by the poachers and the leopards has caused depletion of the prey base of cheetahs in Kuno.
While initial assessments by the National Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the 2022 Action Plan cited a healthy chital (spotted deer) density (around 38 to 51+ animals per sq km across potential prey species), this marked a drop from earlier peaks near 69 chital per sq km in 2013.
Subsequent evaluations indicated density drops in certain zones (falling below 20 chital per sq km in localized estimates), prompting the authorities to translocate hundreds of chitals from other forests to supplement the park, a senior forest officer told this newspaper on Tuesday, unwilling to be quoted.
The government and forest officials of Kuno have however maintained that the park possesses an adequate overall prey base, including chital, sambar, nilgai and wild boar, to sustain population, pointing to alternative expansion areas like Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in the state.
Kuno National Park spans a core area of 748 sq km within a larger 6,800 sq km open forest and riverine landscape.
Total cheetah population in India stands at 58, comprising 52 cheetahs in Kuno National Park, four in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and two in Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve .