India's Ambitious Cheetah Conservation Project Targets Kuno-Gandhi Sagar Landscape

India plans to establish an inter-state cheetah conservation complex across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan over the next 25 years, as per the Project Cheetah report. The initiative involves releasing cheetahs into free-ranging conditions and addressing challenges such as septicemia among existing populations.

India has unveiled an ambitious plan to establish an inter-state cheetah conservation complex in the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar landscapes of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan within 25 years, according to the latest annual progress report of Project Cheetah for 2023-24.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority's report, marking two years of Project Cheetah as of September 17, indicates that a new batch of cheetahs is expected to arrive at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary by the end of the year. These cheetahs will be released into free-ranging conditions over the next five years.

The 'Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in Gandhi Sagar' outlines that in the initial phase, five to eight cheetahs will be introduced into a predator-proof fenced area of 64 square kilometers, focusing on breeding. Authorities aim for the combined landscapes to support a metapopulation of 60-70 cheetahs within 25 years, under the umbrella of Project Cheetah.

Currently, the cheetahs at Kuno remain in much smaller enclosures. Free-ranging cheetahs were captured and treated for health issues in July-August 2023, including septicemia which claimed the lives of three cheetahs. Challenges such as unexpected winter coat growth in Indian climates are being addressed, and new sources for cheetah imports are being considered.

(With inputs from agencies.)