MP plans new home for cheetahs, relocate leopards

MP plans new home for cheetahs, relocate leopards

Sub: Env

Sec :Protected Area

Context: Madhya Pradesh’s plan for cheetah conservation at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the “Cheetah Action Plan.

Details:

Location: Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (straddling Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) will host cheetahs and boost conservation efforts.

Action Plan:

• 6-8 cheetahs will be introduced into a 64 sq km predator-proof fenced area by next year.
• 12-14 cheetahs, sourced from Africa, will join the population to maintain a strong genetic pool.

Prey Base:

• 1,500 prey animals (chital, blackbuck, etc.) will be introduced to ensure sufficient food availability.
• Annual prey requirements estimated at 1,500-2,000 animals.

After Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan’s Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve have also been identified as potential sites for population expansion. These areas will undergo extensive habitat restoration and prey augmentation to support sustainable cheetah populations.

Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary:

• Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary situated on the northern boundary of Mandsaur and Nimach districts in Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Spread across 2,500 sq. km landscape straddling Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary’s mix of grasslands, dry deciduous forests, and riverine evergreen patches is meant to offer an ideal habitat for the cheetahs to thrive.
• The Chambal River passes through the sanctuary dividing it into two parts.
• The western part is in Nimach district and eastern part is in Mandsaur district.
• It is in the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion.

Flora and Fauna:

• The Sanctuary has a varied terrain of wooded hills – the forest being dry, mixed and deciduous- and flat grasslands around Gandhi sagar dam submergence.
  • The principal tree species found in the Sanctuary are Khair (Acacia catechu), Salai, Kardhai, Dhawda, Tendu, Palash etc.
• The predominant animal species are the deer, of which the most easily sighted are the chinkara or Indian gazelle, Nilgai and sambar.
  • In addition the Indian leopard, langur, Indian wild dog, peacock, otter, and Mugger crocodile are present.

Kuno National Park:

• Kuno National Park is a national park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, India.
• It derives its name from the Kuno River. It was established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary with an initial area of 344.686 km2 (133.084 sq mi) in the Sheopur and Morena districts.
• In 2018, it was given the status of a national park. It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion.

Sr. No.	Parameter	African Cheetah	Asiatic Cheetah
1.	IUCN status	Vulnerable	Critically Endangered.
2.	CITES status	Appendix-I of the List. This List comprises of migratory species that have been assessed as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range.	Appendix-I of the List.
3.	Habitat	Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs are present in the wild.	40-50 found only in Iran.
4.	Physical Characteristics	Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.	Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has more fur, a smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance.
5.	Image