Eight Cheetahs From Botswana To Arrive In MP On Jan 26, Nauradehi Sanctuary To Become 3Rd Site

(MENAFN- IANS) Khajuraho, Dec 9 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, on Tuesday, approved the proposal for shifting some cheetahs from the Kuno National Park (KNP) into Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, government officials said.

The significant step has come nearly a month before the fresh batch of cheetahs from Botswana (South Africa) are set to set to arrive in Madhya Pradesh next month, and they will be quarantined at the KNP.

"The fresh batch of eight cheetahs from Botswana will arrive in Madhya Pradesh on January 26," Madhya Pradesh Forest and Environment Minister Dilip Ahirwar said while briefing the press after the Cabinet in Khajuraho on Tuesday.

Minister Ahirwar, who also joined by CM Yadav and former State BJP Chief and Khajuraho MP V.D. Sharma during the press conference, said that "the proposal for shifting some cheetahs from Kuno National Park to Nauradehi has been approved from the State Cabinet."

With this, Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and recently renamed after Veerangana Rani Durgavati, will be the third habitation for cheetahs in the state after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.

The cheetah re-introduction project was launched in the Sheopur's Kuno National Park with relocation of eight big cats from Namibia to the wildlife sanctuary on September 17, 2022, and subsequently 12 cheetahs from South Africa on February 18, 2023.

Total 20 cheetahs were released at Kuno National Park in two batches -- of them nine adults died so far, however despite continues deaths, the cheetah population at present rose to 31, including five newly born cubs.

Two more cubs died in the past three days.

On April 20 this year, cheetahs found their second home in the Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh when two South African male cheetahs, Pavak and Prabhas, were shifted to the national park from Kuno.

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