Relocation of Cheetahs from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar Approved

The Cheetah Project Steering Committee, constituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), has approved the relocation of a few cheetahs from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, both located in Madhya Pradesh. This move aims to advance the long-term conservation strategy of establishing a meta-population of cheetahs across a connected landscape. However, this decision comes amid concerns about prey availability, heat stress during transportation, and conflict with leopards, which are co-predators in the new habitat. Preparations like prey base augmentation, fencing, and training of personnel are underway to ensure a smooth transition.

Key Points

Committee Involved

• Cheetah Project Steering Committee, under NTCA.
• Formed in May 2023.

Relocation Decision

• Cheetahs to be moved from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Gandhi Sagar is located ~300 km from Kuno.

Project Cheetah Background

• Launched in 2022.
• Involved translocation of 8 cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa.
• So far, 8 adult cheetahs and 5 cubs have died at Kuno.

Meta-population Aim

• Target is to build a meta-population of 60–70 cheetahs.
• Landscape spans Kuno–Gandhi Sagar region, including parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Initial Release Plan

• 4 to 5 cheetahs to be released into a 64 sq. km fenced zone in western Gandhi Sagar.
• Leopards removed from area to prevent interspecies conflict.

Prey Base Concerns

• Ongoing efforts to introduce chital from other MP forests.
• Existing prey includes chinkara, chousingha, nilgai, and chital.
• Herbivore enclosures built for in-situ breeding.

Concerns Raised

• Inadequate training of staff witnessed in incident where a cheetah and her cubs were given water by a driver.
• Committee urged compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Emphasis on training, cheetah mitras (community volunteers), and ensuring water supply during summer.

Pending Decisions

• Whether cheetahs to be shifted are those already in the wild at Kuno or still in enclosures.

Of 26 cheetahs at Kuno,

• 17 in the wild
• 9 in large enclosures

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	Relocation of Cheetahs from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar Approved
Project Name	Project Cheetah
Initiated	2022
Steering Committee Formation	May 2023 by NTCA
Relocation Decision	Cheetahs from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar (300 km)
States Involved	Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan
Meta-population Goal	60–70 cheetahs across the landscape
Initial Relocation Plan	4–5 cheetahs in a 64 sq. km fenced area
Current Cheetah Count at Kuno	(17 wild, 9 in enclosures)
Prey Base at Gandhi Sagar	Chital, chinkara, chousingha, nilgai; being augmented