Cheetah Relocation from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar:
The Cheetah Project Steering Committee officially approved the relocation of some cheetahs from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.The Cheetah Project Steering Committee was set up in May 2023 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to review, monitor, and advise on the cheetah reintroduction program.Project Cheetah began in 2022 with the translocation of 8 cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa to Kuno National Park, but the project has faced setbacks, with 8 adult cheetahs and 5 cubs dying so far.Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary has been identified as a key part of establishing a cheetah meta-population of 60–70 individuals across the Kuno–Gandhi Sagar landscape, which stretches across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.As of now, there are 26 cheetahs at Kuno, of which 17 are in the wild and 9 are still inside large enclosures. It is yet to be decided whether the relocated cheetahs will come from the wild or enclosures.According to forest officials, prey species at Gandhi Sagar currently include chinkara, chousingha, nilgai, and chital.
