Project Cheetah

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What is the Project Cheetah?

Discussions to bring the Cheetah back to India were initiated in 2009 by the Wildlife Trust of India.
Under the ‘Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India’, 50 cheetahs will be brought from African countries to various national parks over 5 years.
Most suitable site – Kuno Palpur National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh:
Amongst the surveyed sites of the central Indian states, KNP has been rated the highest, because of its suitable habitat and adequate prey base.
It is assessed to be capable of supporting 21 Cheetahs and is likely the only wildlife site in the country where villages have been completely relocated from within the park.
Kuno also provides the possibility of harbouring four of India’s big cats – tiger, lion, leopard and Cheetah, enabling them to coexist as they have in the past.
The other sites recommended are – Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh; Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary – Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary complex, Madhya Pradesh; Shahgarh bulge in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan; Mukundara Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.
As part of this project, 20 Cheetahs (8 from Namibia and 12 from South Africa) were Introduced in the KNP (since last year) to establish a free-ranging population for the first time since their extinction in India 70 years ago.

Q1) Which River passes through Kuno National Park?

Kuno River is a prominent river that flows through the heart of the Kuno National Park from South to north in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The river, which originates from the Vindhya mountain range, is a lifeline for the sanctuary’s diverse flora and fauna

Source: Project Cheetah