Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment · 3 March 2026
Forest Owlet unseen for 113 years rediscovered in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park
Exam-focused facts from the 3 March 2026 current affairs briefing.
Key facts
- The Forest Owlet, endemic to central India, was first found in 1872 and vanished after 1884, presumed extinct for 113 years.
- Local tourism operator Labh Yadav first spotted the owl in Kuno National Park's Parond Beat and alerted forest officials.
- Vivek Patel from Pune's Wildlife Research and Conservation Society confirmed the sighting on-site, marking Kuno's inaugural record.
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Forest Owlet as endangered, with 250-999 adults worldwide.
- Unlike nocturnal relatives, the Forest Owlet hunts mornings from 6-10 a.m., perching in harsh sun on tall branches.
- Previous sightings in Madhya Pradesh were limited to eastern Khandwa, Burhanpur, and Betul districts.