NEARLY 150 years after cheetahs disappeared from the Bundelkhand landscape, the iconic big cat returned to the region on Wednesday with Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav releasing two cheetahs at the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR). The male cheetah, earlier known as Tholo, has been named Vyom, while the female, earlier identified as CCB-3, has been named Neera by the Chief Minister. With their release, VDTR has become Madhya Pradesh’s third cheetah habitat after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. Describing the occasion as a landmark moment for wildlife conservation, Dr Yadav said the return of cheetahs had placed B u n d e l k h a n d prominently on the global wildlife conservation map. He said the initiative, launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to reintroduce cheetahs in India, was now entering a new phase in Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister said VDTR has a unique distinction as a landscape where cheetahs and tigers will coexist along with a rich variety of wildlife. According to officials, cheetahs were last reported in the region around 160-170 years ago. Dr Yadav emphasised that wildlife conservation must go hand in hand with the welfare of communities living around forest areas. “Live and let live” should be the guiding principle, he said, adding that conservation efforts would be strengthened while ensuring new opportunities for tourism, employment and rural livelihoods. He said local communities and committees were being given a share in revenue generated from tourism activities in protected areas. Homestays are also being promoted in villages around buffer zones, with government assistance of up to Rs 2-3 lakh for villagers willing to provide accommodation to tourists.

 

Chief Minister said livestock rearing and milk production could provide an important source of income for rural families in forest areas where agricultural land is limited. Efforts would be made to ensure remunerative prices for milk procured through cooperative societies. Two more cheetahs to arrive next month Dr Yadav announced that two more cheetahs would be brought to VDTR next month. The move is expected to help establish a stable and suitable cheetah population in the reserve. VDTR, spread across Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur districts, is home to tigers, leopards, nilgai, chinkara, deer and several other species. The Chief Minister said conservation must focus on the entire ecosystem rather than a single species. Madhya Pradesh, he added, has emerged as a leader in tiger conservation and is also playing an important role in vulture conservation and protection of aquatic species. Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Govind Singh Rajput described the release as a historic development for Bundelkhand. Damoh MP Rahul Singh Lodhi said the initiative would create new opportunities for tourism and employment and called for guide and language training centres to prepare local youth for the expected increase in tourist activity. Rehli MLA Gopal Bhargava also stressed the need to link conservation with local livelihoods, rehabilitation, employment and better tourist facilities. During the programme, Dr Yadav honoured 12 officials and employees for outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation under the Wildlife Conservation Awards2026. He also released publications on vulture population assessment, wildlife conservation, ‘Hamar VDTR’ and ‘Baghin Didi’, and interacted with Cheetah Mitras and Baghin Didi representatives. The event was attended by Minister Govind Singh Rajput, MPs, MLAs, senior administrative and police officials, forest department officers and other public representatives.