Under the 'Project Cheetah', India has translocated 20 big cats from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh state to reintroduce the feline that had gone extinct in independent India.
The Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur district in India's Madhya Pradesh state is soon going to welcome some new residents - the majestic cheetahs that will be relocated from South Africa, making India their second home.
Officials from the Forest Department of the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary have confirmed that all necessary arrangements for the establishment of a second facility to facilitate cheetah relocation have been finalized.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will be responsible for determining the timing and other necessary procedures for the settlement of cheetahs in the sanctuary.
Mandsaur's Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sanjay Raikheda said that a new 64-square-kilometer sanctuary for cheetahs has been developed at a cost of INR 177 million.
The new home for cheetahs is situated approximately 270 kilometers from their first facility in Kuno National Park in the Sheopur district.
Raikheda highlighted the ample availability of prey such as chitals (spotted deer) in the sanctuary, making it an ideal habitat for cheetahs.
Project Cheetah Initiative
Touted to be the fastest land animal, Cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952.
In order to restore the cheetah population in India, the government launched the 'Project Cheetah' initiative, which involved the relocation of eight cheetahs - five females and three males - from Namibia to the KNP on September 17, 2022.
In February 2023, another batch of 12 cheetahs were brought to KNP from South Africa.
Since March 2023, a total of 10 cheetahs, seven adults, and three cubs, have tragically lost their lives in the KNP due to various causes.
Currently, there are 21 cheetahs at the KNP, including six males, seven females, and eight cubs.