Rare Forest Owlet spotted in MP's Kuno after 113 years
After more than a century, the rare Forest Owlet has been spotted in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park.
The species vanished after 1884 and was presumed extinct until its 1997 rediscovery in Maharashtra.
This exciting find came from local tourism operator Labh Yadav, and wildlife experts have confirmed it's the real deal.
It's another boost for Kuno, which is already making headlines with its cheetah reintroduction project.
Endangered species and its significance
The Forest Owlet is a daytime hunter and is listed as endangered by the IUCN, with only about 250-999 adults left in the wild.
Until now, it was mainly found in parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
Spotting one at Kuno gives conservationists hope that other rare species might make a comeback too—a point highlighted by MP's Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, who called it 'a significant event for biodiversity conservation in India' and linked it to the progress of the cheetah project.