In a major boost to India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction project, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on Wednesday that the third batch of eight cheetahs from Botswana will arrive in India on February 28. The announcement came after a key meeting with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi.
CM Yadav detailed the discussions, which covered tourism development in Madhya Pradesh, expansion of reserved forests, and wildlife conservation efforts. He updated the minister on the state’s preparations for the incoming cheetahs and sought necessary support from the central government.
Speaking to the media post-meeting, the Chief Minister revealed additional plans. ‘Madhya Pradesh is also working on bringing wild buffaloes from Assam. We’ve coordinated on arrangements and cooperation for the eight cheetahs arriving from Botswana on February 28,’ he stated.
The Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, Gwalior-Chambal region, hosts this flagship project. It began with eight cheetahs from Namibia on September 17, 2022, followed by 12 from South Africa on February 18, 2023, totaling 20 in two phases.
Despite challenges, including the loss of nine adult cheetahs, births of cubs have pushed the population beyond 30. To accommodate the new arrivals, Madhya Pradesh has readied a second habitat at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur district.
Recently, two male cheetahs, Prabhas and Pavak, were translocated from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar, joining female cheetah Dhira, who arrived there in September last year. A Botswana team inspected the site in December, reviewing quarantine bomas, control rooms, and veterinary facilities, expressing full satisfaction with the preparations.
This development signals renewed momentum for Project Cheetah, aiming to restore the big cat’s presence in India after nearly seven decades of extinction.