In a significant move to expand India’s cheetah conservation initiative, two cheetahs—Pavak from Kuno National Park and Prabhash from Mandsaur—will be relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Scheduled for April 20, this will mark the first-ever intra-country translocation of cheetahs, aimed at establishing Gandhi Sagar as the second cheetah sanctuary after Kuno.
Also Read: The Cheetah Chronicles: A Race Against Time in India’s Kuno National Park
Gandhi Sagar, located in Mandsaur district, will receive the five-year-old Pavak and five-and-a-half-year-old Prabhash into a 15.04 sq km enclosure in the Khemla forest area. Both cheetahs are brothers and currently housed in enclosures at Kuno.
The relocation will commence on Saturday night and conclude with their release at 3 pm on Sunday. Union Forest Minister Mr. Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav will personally oversee the release at Gandhi Sagar. Chief Secretary Mr. Anurag Jain, officials from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Cheetah Steering Committee, and the State Forest Department were also part of the review meeting held at the CM’s residence that finalized the plan.
Mr. Yadav stated that the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, will assist in training 400 “Cheetah Mitras” from 80 villages in Sheopur district to support conservation and nature tourism. Satellite caller ID surveillance will be employed for tracking, and the process to launch a Cheetah Safari will also be expedited.
Further, the Minister emphasized the need to prepare Cheetah Mitras for eco-tourism by training them in homestays and promoting the development of the historical heritage around Kuno. A tourist corridor is also proposed between the reserve areas of Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states to enhance connectivity with Gandhi Sagar.
A task force will be formed, comprising senior officers from departments including Forest, Tourism, Veterinary, Panchayat and Rural Development, Tribal Affairs, and Transport. This team will monitor ongoing wildlife rehabilitation projects across Madhya Pradesh.
Officials revealed that Rs. 112 crore has been spent on the cheetah project so far, with 67 percent allocated to rehabilitation efforts in Madhya Pradesh. Gandhi Sagar’s proximity to Rajasthan has led to an in-principle agreement between both states to establish an inter-state cheetah conservation complex.
According to wildlife experts, the survival rate of cheetah cubs born in India is the highest in the world due to better climate adaptation. Gandhi Sagar, with its favourable environment, is expected to support further success in cheetah conservation.
CM Mohan Yadav announced plans for infrastructure development including a concrete road from Gwalior to Kuno and the creation of a tent city. Youth and women will be involved in forest tourism initiatives, with Cheetah Mitras and women’s self-help groups trained as tourist guides. Employment opportunities will be created through ventures like Didi Cafe. Plans are also in place to bring 10 king cobras and to release crocodiles and turtles from the Chambal River into four major rivers.
Currently, there are 26 cheetahs in Kuno National Park, including 12 adults and 14 cubs. Following the relocation, Kuno will have 24 cheetahs—10 adults and 14 cubs—while Gandhi Sagar will begin its cheetah conservation journey with two adult males.
Also Read: Gandhi Sagar Home Ready for Cheetahs to Move In
