Bhopal, April 20 (H.S.): The ambitious Cheetah Project by the central government is being expanded in Madhya Pradesh. Under this project, a home for cheetahs is being established in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, in addition to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. In this context, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav will release two cheetahs today (Sunday) in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur district.

According to Public Relations Officer K.K. Joshi, the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary will be the second location in the state where cheetahs are being reintroduced. This will be a significant step in wildlife conservation and it will also be an exciting opportunity for wildlife conservation enthusiasts and domestic and foreign tourists. He stated that as part of the goal to increase the number of cheetahs in the state, cheetahs are being brought from South Africa, Kenya, and Botswana to be settled in

forests of Madhya Pradesh. Currently, there are 26 cheetahs in the Kuno National Park in Shyopur district. There is a plan to bring eight cheetahs from Botswana. Four cheetahs will be brought by May 2025 and then another four will be brought. There are also plans to bring cheetahs from South Africa and Kenya. A conceptual agreement has already been reached between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for the establishment of an inter-state cheetah conservation area. Both states will work together to create this inter-state cheetah conservation area. A total of 112 crores have been spent on the cheetah project, of which 67 percent has been spent on cheetah rehabilitation in Madhya Pradesh. The state government is continually advancing towards progress from nature and conservation of nature by rehabilitating cheetahs that have gone extinct from India and almost the entire Asian continent.

Joshi informed that Gandhi Sagar is a wildlife sanctuary located in eastern Madhya Pradesh. This sanctuary spans the Mandsaur and Neemuch districts of the state. It is home to trees such as Salai, Kardhai, Dhouda, Tendoo, and Palash. It is part of the world-famous Chaturbhuj Nala. The Rock Center is also part of this sanctuary. This sanctuary was notified in 1974 and designated as a sanctuary in 1984. The presence of ancient rock painting sites and famous temples like Chaturbhujnath Temple gives it archaeological and religious significance.

He mentioned that the sanctuary is spread around the backwaters of Gandhi Sagar, which is known for some rare species like wild dogs, chinkara, leopards, otters, and crocodiles. Additionally, spotted deer, sambar, and gray langurs are also found here.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar