Madhya Pradesh is preparing to implement a detailed Cheetah Action Plan at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. This plan involves relocating leopards, enhancing prey populations, and ensuring genetic diversity in cheetahs to create a suitable environment for their reintroduction next year.
The Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary spans 2,500 square kilometers across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It features a mix of grasslands, dry deciduous forests, and riverine evergreen patches—an ideal habitat for cheetahs.
However, the sanctuary’s current leopard population poses a significant challenge to the introduction of cheetahs.
As per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Madhya Pradesh wildlife-department, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the initial phase will see 6-8 cheetahs released into a 64-square-kilometer predator-proof enclosure in the sanctuary’s West Range.
This area has savannah grasslands and supports prey species such as chinkara, nilgai, and wild pigs.
However, current prey densities are inadequate, and efforts are underway to augment them with 1,500 animals, including chital, blackbuck, and nilgai.
One of the key challenges is the presence of an estimated 70 leopards in the sanctuary’s West Range. Leopards compete for the same prey and pose a direct threat to cheetahs, especially cubs and juveniles.
To address this, all leopards within the fenced area will be captured and relocated.
Additionally, 10 leopards will be fitted with GPS collars to monitor their movements and interactions with other carnivores, such as hyenas, wolves, and jackals.
The relocation of leopards from Madhya Pradesh’s Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is part of a decade-long strategy to stabilise the cheetah population. Advanced research, including infrared camera traps and scat analysis, will monitor the ecosystem and inform future management strategies to promote coexistence between cheetahs and leopards.
Also read: Two newborn Cheetah cubs found mutilated at Kuno
A senior wildlife official highlighted that relocating leopards is crucial for creating a safe environment for cheetahs. Without this step, the stronger and more adaptable leopards could jeopardise the fragile cheetah population.
To establish a genetically diverse cheetah population, 12-14 wild cheetahs will be imported from African countries. These cheetahs will be selected based on their genetic diversity, disease-free status, and behavioural suitability for survival in the wild.
Genetic analysis using advanced techniques will ensure a strong gene pool, with ongoing monitoring to track demographic changes and prevent inbreeding.
Radio-collaring of prey animals will provide insights into how they adapt to the presence of cheetahs. The fenced area at Gandhi Sagar will act as a source population to expand cheetah numbers into other restored habitats in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, such as Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve.
These sites will also undergo habitat restoration and prey augmentation.
Currently, 24 cheetahs, including 12 cubs, reside in Kuno National Park, another reintroduction site in Madhya Pradesh.
While initial plans aimed for free-ranging cheetahs coexisting with other predators, challenges such as deaths due to infections have led to a re-evaluation of strategies, emphasising the need for predator-proof environments like Gandhi Sagar.
The Gandhi Sagar initiative reflects Madhya Pradesh’s commitment to cheetah conservation, with the relocation of leopards and other measures ensuring the long-term success of this ambitious programme.
Also Read: Cheetah Neerva’s four cubs born in MP’s Kuno National Park
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