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Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary welcomes first Cheetahs
Context
Two male cheetahs, named Pawak and Prabhash, were released into the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district. These cheetahs, aged around six years, had originally arrived from South Africa in 2023 and were kept at Kuno National Park before being relocated. With this move, Gandhi Sagar has become the second location in India (after Kuno) where cheetahs are being reintroduced under the ambitious Project Cheetah.
About Project Cheetah:
- Project Cheetah is India’s plan to reintroduce cheetahs in the wild, after the species was declared extinct in the country in 1952.
- India is the first country in the world to relocate cheetahs from one continent to another for species revival.
- The project was launched in 2022, when the first batch of cheetahs arrived from Namibia.
- It is being carried out by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with wildlife institutions and international partners.
- The main goal is to restore the ecological role of the cheetah in India and promote biodiversity.
- Currently, Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has around 26 cheetahs, including adults and cubs.
- However, several challenges have arisen at Kuno—limited space, interactions with other predators, and some cheetah deaths due to stress, infection, or climate factors.
- This is why the government is looking to spread cheetahs across multiple protected areas, not just one.
Concerns
- Mixing of Sub-species: The cheetahs from South Africa and those possibly coming from Botswana or Kenya may be different sub-species.
- International protocols (like from IUCN) advise not to mix sub-species in one habitat to preserve genetic purity and avoid complications.
- Logistics and Habitat Suitability: Relocating and adapting cheetahs to Indian conditions is complex. There are concerns over space, climate, prey density, and long-term monitoring.
- Long-Term Viability: For cheetahs to survive and breed naturally, multiple relocation sites and genetic diversity are required.
About Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary
About Kuno National Park:
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