Two Cheetahs to be relocated from Kuno National Park: DFO Sanjay Raikhere

Neemuch, April 18: As an ongoing project for the second habitat of Cheetahs nears its end in Madhya Pradesh's Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sanjay Raikhere on Friday morning said that two Cheetahs would be relocated from Kuno National Park, which is understood to be its first habitat in the country.

Raikhere stated that the works for the Cheetah Restoration Plan had been ongoing for the last 2.5 years, and arrangements were almost complete, as the work was in its final stage. He added that there was a 64-acre enclosure for the upcoming Cheetahs. He said that the hospital for the Cheetahs was also being renovated.

"The work of the Cheetah Restoration Plan has been going on in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary for the last 2.5 years. The work is almost in its final stage, and our preparations are almost complete. We have a 64-acre enclosure. We have also renovated the hospital. Two cheetahs will be brought here from Kuno National Park," Raikhere told ANI.

Speaking about the water sources, the forest officer said that water was being lifted from the backwaters to the plateau. The population of Chinkara was sufficient for the Cheetahs to hunt as they were breeding well naturally in the sanctuary, Raikhere said, adding that six quarantine boomers and two treatment boomers have been arranged for the Cheetahs.

"We are also lifting water from the backwaters to the plateau. Chinkaras are breeding well here naturally. Our preparations are almost done. We have also arranged six quarantine boomers and two treatment boomers," Raikhere said.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has taken a significant step in vulture conservation by releasing six captive-bred vultures into their natural habitat from the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre, located in Kerwa, Bhopal, with the aim of saving and protecting the endangered species.

The vultures were released in the forest area of Halali Dam on Wednesday, and among them, two are white-backed vultures and 4 long-billed vultures. The released vultures are equipped with GPS trackers, which will closely monitor their movement and behaviour to ensure their safety in the wild.

Reader Comments

R

Rahul K.

This is such exciting news! 🎉 The cheetah reintroduction project is a game-changer for wildlife conservation in India. Kudos to the forest department for their hard work over these 2.5 years.

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Priya M.

I hope they've done proper studies on the carrying capacity of the new habitat. While I support conservation efforts, we need to ensure the cheetahs have enough space and prey animals to thrive long-term.

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Ankit S.

The GPS trackers on the vultures is a smart move! Technology + conservation = winning combo. Hope we get to see some movement data published for research purposes.

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Sunita R.

So happy to read about both projects! The cheetah relocation AND vulture conservation show India's commitment to protecting endangered species. Makes me proud of our forest department. 🌿

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Vikram J.

Interesting that they're starting with just two cheetahs. Probably a wise move to test the habitat before introducing more. Hope they'll share updates on how the big cats adapt to their new home.

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Neha P.

The vulture release is just as important as the cheetah project! These scavengers are crucial for our ecosystem. Great to see multiple conservation efforts happening simultaneously. 👏

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