Under its cheetah re-introduction plan, the Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary is expected to receive the group of imported cheetahs from South Africa and Kenya either by end of September or early October. Government is involved in talks with Kenyan government for translocation of the cat species. As per reports, total 20 cheetahs will be brought to India from both the countries, Kenya and South Africa. Five to eight cheetahs will be released into fenced area of Gandhisagar. A team of delegates from Kenya will be visiting Kuno National Park and Gandhisagar Sanctuary by next week. Sources said that officials are flexing muscles to bring the next lot of cheetahs between September 15 and October 15 after monsoon period gets over.

 

Recently, a team of South African experts visited the sanctuary and reported presence of leopard. Officials have asked the local administration to make the sanctuary free from leopards only then the cheetah can be transported to India. Concern over the demand of foreign delegates, Additional Chief Secretary of Forest Department J N Kansotia has asked the team to start working in this area on immediate basis and capture leopards for shifting them to other place. There are eight quarantine enclosures placed with CCTV cameras well prepared in the sanctuary. A medical unit has been assigned for medical assistance to the cats. A 28 kilometre long enclosure has been prepared in Rawalikudi area of Gandhisagar. Officials said that parameter require 20 herbivore in pre square kilometre of area for cheetahs. At present, Gandhisagar Sanctuary has 15 herbivore per sqkm of area. A group of around 1200 to 1300 herbivore will be shifted to the sanctuary before monsoon to complete the required parameter.

 

Gandhisagar is about a six hour drive from Kuno National Park and it is spread across 368 sqkm. The sanctuary has additional 2,500 sqkm area surrounding it. The habitat around fenced area in a protected area and animals will be released into free ranging conditions in the Gandhisagar landscape in phases after ecological restoration and prey recovery. The first batch of eight cheetahs were introduced in India’s Kuno National Park in September 2022 from Namibia and the second batch of 12 cheetahs was brought from South Africa in February 2023. However, death cases cheetahs were criticised by experts and wildlife lovers in India. Kuno National Park has recorded death of 6 adult cheetahs and three cubs (born in India).