No shifting of cheetah outside MP, Gandhi Sagar to be second home
   Date :31-May-2023

No shifting of cheetah outside 
 
 
By Ankita Garg
It seems the African spotted cat will not have second abode outside Madhya Pradesh. While experts suggested to shift the cheetah introduced in State’s Kuno National Park, to a suitable place in Rajasthan or other state to avoid space crunch, authorities are making all arrangements within State only.
Officials said that all efforts are being made to provide secure and suitable habitat to cheetah within State. Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to prepare Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur at the earliest for cheetah translocation. Officials said that there is no proposal to shift cheetah outside of State. In a recent review meeting with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupendra Yadav said that preparations are being done to shift the cheetah inside Madhya Pradesh. Second home for cheetah will be Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur. Authorities have said that it would take around five years to make the Cheetah Project successful. They said that hardly 50 per cent population of this cheetah action plan will be surviving. They said that not to panic with the fatality.
Besides, officials also demanded modern vehicles for proper monitoring of cheetah at Kuno in this meeting. Center will be providing fund to the State for formation of Cheetah Protection Force. To make study on health of cheetah, forest officials will be sent to South Africa on a tour. In first phase, eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia in September 2022. On February 18, 2023, 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa. Female cat Jwala brought from Namibia has also delivered four cubs but three of them died of weakness. Kuno is now left with 18 cheetahs. Female cheetah Sasha had died on March 26 while on April 23, South African cheetah Uday also died. Again on May 6, South African female Daksha had died. On May 23, first cub of Jwala succumbed and again on May 25, two other cubs died.