The five-day Kuno Van Mahotsav was launched on 17 December 2023 in Ranipura village on the outskirts of Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. A forest retreat (tent city) has been developed in Ranipura village to attract wildlife lovers and tourists. Madhya Pradesh is organising the first edition of Kuno Van Mahotsav.

This five-day Kuno Forest Festival will be organised from 17 to 21 December.

Inauguration of Kuno Forest Festival:

Earlier, this Van Mahotsav was proposed to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the state, Dr. Mohan Yadav, on 17 December 2023. However, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had to cancel his visit due to state mourning after the demise of the former Amir of Kuwait. Later, it was inaugurated by other senior officials present there.
50 specially designed Swiss tents equipped with modern amenities have been installed in Ranipura for the festival.

Organiser of Kuno Forest Festival:

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is the main organiser of Kuno Forest Festival. This edition by Ike Ventures Pvt Ltd and Lalluji & Co. is associated with the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

Objective of Kuno Forest Festival:

The event also aims to advocate cheetah conservation by highlighting the diverse flora and fauna and the importance of the Kuno Forest.
It also includes local arts and crafts, folk music, dance forms and adventure sports.

Major attractions of Kuno Forest Festival:

Many types of activities, including adventure sports, arts, and crafts, music, village tours and food, have been organised in the five-day festival.
A tent city has been developed for tourists in Ranipura village, where 50 fully equipped Swiss tents have been installed. The display of art and culture by local artists is the main attraction here.
Adventure sports and exciting nature activities are being done in the festival. Tourists can enjoy parasailing, hot air ballooning, paragliding, jungle safari, Dev Khoh tour and night sightseeing here.
Madhya Pradesh presents a rich blend of culture and abundant wildlife. It includes seeing the cheetah during a jungle safari in Kuno.

Natural habitat of Kuno-Palpur cheetahs:

Kuno-Palpur of Sheopur district is known as the home of cheetahs in India.
A proposal to expand the safari area of Kuno by 600 sq km to accommodate the cheetah project is pending with the state government.
It was decided by the government to reintroduce the world's fastest animal, cheetahs to the country. In 1952, cheetahs were officially declared extinct in India.
Of the 20 cheetahs that were shifted here by the government, only 15 (14 adults, 1 cub) have survived.
Of these 20 cheetahs, eight were translocated from Namibia on September 17, 2022. While 12 were brought from South Africa on February 18, 2023.
Kuno National Park was chosen as the optimal location because of the good hunting grounds for cheetahs.
Apart from this, there is a good population of chinkara, spotted deer and black deer in the park, which can become the basis of life for cheetahs here. Many large predatory animals like leopards have also been taken out here.