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20 more cheetahs to be brought from South Africa identified; 17,000 sq km corridor on the anvil

Officials of Kuno National Park, meanwhile, are preparing to relocate 1 female cheetah & 2 cubs from it to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.

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Bhopal: India is set to receive 20 more cheetahs from South Africa in the next two months. This development follows the identification of the 20 spotted cats by a task force in collaboration with South African authorities. 

A senior forest officer from the Madhya Pradesh government told The Print that the cheetahs have been identified, and formalities for their translocation have commenced. The process is likely to take about two months.

This would mark the second major intercontinental translocation of cheetahs after 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno National Park from South Africa and Namibia in September.

Of the 20 cheetahs translocated earlier, 12 have survived and produced 14 cubs. Of these cubs, 12 have survived. This takes the cheetah population at Kuno National Park to 24.

On 4 December, Agni and Vayu, two male cheetahs, were released from the bomas (animal enclosures) into the free range.

Additionally, the forest department is preparing to relocate one female cheetah and two cubs from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. This move aims to familiarise and train staff to manage cheetahs effectively.

Officials, however, have declined to comment if the new batch of 20 cheetahs from South Africa will remain in Kuno National Park. Considering Kuno’s quarantine facilities and trained staff, it is likely that the cheetahs will be placed there, officials told ThePrint. 

“Whether these cheetahs will stay in Kuno or be moved elsewhere is a decision that the task force, along with other authorities, will make. Presently, we are working to bring these cheetahs to India,” an official added.

Madhya Pradesh is also preparing to notify Madhav National Park as a tiger reserve, making it the state’s ninth tiger reserve.

Kuno National Park currently covers 1,235 sq km, with plans to add another 534 sq km. Madhav National Park, presently spanning 1,750 sq km, will extend to 1,777 sq km upon being declared a tiger reserve. Of this, 375 sq km will form the core area, while 1,276 sq km will constitute the buffer zone.

“The core and buffer for Madhav Tiger Reserve have been proposed to create a continuous patch of approximately 3,500 sq km, linking Madhav Tiger Reserve to Kuno National Park and extending to Ranthambore. This stretch will run from Karera in Shivpuri to Ranthambore in Rajasthan,” a senior forest department officer told ThePrint.

Both the proposed Madhav Tiger Reserve and Kuno Wildlife Division will come under a single administrative unit, enabling effective coordination and fostering the development of a cheetah landscape, forest department officials said.


Also Read: Phase 2 of India’s cheetah project likely to begin by year-end, 12 to 15 cheetahs may be brought


What’s next after Agni & Vayu

Agni and Vayu were released in the wild on 4 December. Since then, they have travelled extensively, covering up to 50 km and reaching the Rajasthan border before returning.

According to forest officials, the idea of releasing the two males was to encourage them to establish their presence in the landscape. “Once cheetahs start moving through an area, they establish their footprints, paving the way for the second generation to settle more easily. We aim to maintain a certain number of cheetahs in the wild at all times,” Uttam Sharma, chief conservator of forests at Kuno National Park, told ThePrint.

However, questions remain about whether a female cheetah should be released next.

Following the release of Agni and Vayu, forest officers are deliberating whether to release a female cheetah into the wild or to focus on breeding within the controlled environment of the bomas at Kuno.

The Cheetah Action Plan suggests releasing male cheetahs first, followed by females, to eventually establish a wild cheetah population.

When male cheetahs Pawan and Veera were released into the free range in 2023, they moved in opposite directions and failed to interact during their six months in the wild. Eventually, they were brought back to the bomas in August 2023 after developing infections. Since then, all cheetahs have remained in the bomas and reproduced there. 

Encouraged by the successful breeding within the bomas, and learning from past challenges with free-range breeding, forest officers are now inclined to keep the remaining cheetahs in enclosures for breeding.

Of the 20 adult cheetahs originally brought from Namibia and South Africa, eight have died, leaving 12 adults, including seven females and five males. Of the five males, Agni and Vayu have been released, leaving three males in the bomas.

Among the seven females, three have already given birth, and one, being hand-raised, is unsuitable for release into the wild, leaving only three viable females. Officials suggest keeping these females in enclosures for breeding instead of releasing them.

Once the cubs reach adulthood, they can be released into the wild, establishing a natural habitat and creating a meta-population, according to officials. 

Dr Rajesh Gopal, chairman of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee—a panel of experts that monitors the reintroduction of cheetahs to India and advises on the project—explained to ThePrint that establishing a meta-population requires reaching a stage where the birth rate consistently exceeds the mortality rate. 

This process can take years or even decades. Citing South Africa’s reintroduction efforts that began in 1960, Dr Gopal noted that their cheetah population stabilised in the wild only by 2004.

Rajasthan gears up for cheetahs

With Agni and Vayu venturing into Rajasthan after their release, forest officers are monitoring their movements closely. This comes as Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh work on a MoU to develop a 17,000-sq km cheetah corridor.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and his MP counterpart Mohan Yadav initiated the MoU in June. The plan focuses on cheetah habitat improvement and joint tourism development.

The dry deciduous forests of Kuno extend to the Aravalli hills in Ranthambore, forming a natural corridor. Tigers from Ranthambore have often attempted to settle near the Chambal river in Kuno.

In November, a joint committee co-chaired by the chief wildlife wardens of both states met in Ranthambore to discuss the MoU details. Over 17,000 sq km have been identified, with 11,500 sq km in Madhya Pradesh and 6,500 sq km in Rajasthan. This area will also extend to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Chittorgarh.

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will conduct a feasibility study and submit its report within three months.

“Augmenting our prey base every 50 km with herbivores like cheetals and antelopes will be crucial to reducing wildlife conflicts. Additionally, staff training, including veterinarians and field officers, will be prioritised,” PCCF (Wildlife) P.K. Upadhyay told ThePrint. 

The MoU will last for five years, with reviews every two years, enabling both states to work in tandem, with Madhya Pradesh assisting Rajasthan in capacity building.

(Edited by Radifah Kabir)


Also Read: Multiple sightings of cheetah Vayu roaming the streets in MP’s Sheopur days after release from Kuno


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