MP: Gandhisagar Sanctuary to be second new home of cheetahs

Gandhisagar Sanctuary will be developed as a second home for cheetahs within six months to retain the tag of cheetah state, Madhya Pradesh chief miner Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Friday.

A cheetah at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh (File Photo)

In a meeting with the Wildlife Advisory Board, the chief miner instructed the forest officials to develop the Gandhisagar Sanctuary as a habitat for cheetahs in the next six months, said a senior forest official.
The move comes after experts suggested that Kuno National Park (KNP)does not have enough space for all cheetahs. In the meeting on Friday, board member Abhilash Khandekar also suggested that after increasing the number of cheetahs in Kuno National Park in Sheopur, the area would not be sufficient for them, hence it is necessary to relocate a few.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh seeks relocation of some of cheetahs brought from Africa
“Gandhisagar Sanctuary should be developed for Cheetah as soon as possible. If the sanctuary doesn’t get ready, Cheetah will be shifted to Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh’s identity as ‘Cheetah State’ will end,” said the official.
After Khandekar’s proposal, CM Chouhan immediately instructed the forest officials to develop Gandhisagar Sanctuary within six months.
The CM said, “ ₹20 crore will be spent on the development.”
HT had previously reported that forest officials have requested a second home for the cheetahs as KNP doesn’t have enough space.
the forest department had asked the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to take a decision in this regard.
“In a fencing of 80sq km, grassland will be developed for cheetahs,” said a member of the Cheetah Task Force.

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