Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

[Rishi]

Indore zoo to realize lion dream of Kuno-Palpur 
Press Trust of India |  Indore
December, 2017 

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An ambitious project to develop Kuno-Palpur Wildlife sanctuary another home for the Asiatic Lions got a new lease of life after the proposal from the Kamla Nehru zoo in Indore to give 6 of its lions to Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Sheopur. The Kuno sanctuary is originally earmarked as the relocation home for the Lions from Gir Gujarat where its ever-increasing number has led to frequent deaths from infighting and other reasons.

One of Central-India's last lion stronghold, Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Sheopur district of the Madhya Pradesh and is around 200 km from the Gwalior. Kuno has vast scrublands, a habitat perfectly suitable for the Asiatic Lions which were here till 1875 till the last of the animal was hunted down.

Kuno wildlife sanctuary is situated in the Sheopur district of the Madhya Pradesh and is around 200 km from the Gwalior. Kuno has vast grasslands, a habitat perfectly suitable for the Asiatic Lions which were here till 1873 till the last of the animal was hunted down.

Kuno has been prepared to receive the Lions from the Gir, based on stringent relocation guidelines developed by IUCN/SSC Reintroduction Specialist Groupand IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group.
However, the relocation of the Lions became a political matter with Gujarat Government refusing to let go its big cats out of fear of losing the tag of the exclusive home of Asiatic Lions, and  an additional 900 sq km of buffer zone was created in 2015 but, have made no mention of notifying the buffer zone area as a sanctuary, which is being contended by Gujarat government.

Diluting its claim on the programme, MP government decided to release and rehabilitate tigers in the Kuno-Palpur sanctuary which they claim is ready.
But, tigers cannot be translocated without the permission of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Sources said that the wildlife board has decided to go ahead with the decision without NTCA nod. 

In the meanwhile, Indore Zoo has readied a proposal to send 4 Lions and 2 Lioness from the Zoo to the Kuno Wildlife sanctuary. Currently, Indore Zoo is holding 12 of these big cats. MP's Bhopal zoo has recently recieved 4 lions from Assam & the state has a healthy diversity to captive lions.

A big male paces along the enclosure boundary.

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"We are going send the proposal of six lions to top state wildlife officials. If we get the green light, we are ready to send two lionesses and four lions to Kuno-Palpur," Kamla Nehru zoo-incharge Uttam Yadav said. 

Dr. Uttam confirmed that if their proposal gets through, these Lions would be rewilded as per the guidelines adopted for the release of captive bred animals into the wild. Let’s hope the proposal of Indore zoo materializes soon and the lions get their share of the wild.
Because, there is also a concern about the conflict with the Tigers one they get relocated tot the Kuno Wildlife sanctuary. So, it's either now or never... Reply