India to Bring Cheetahs from Botswana

• 29 Apr 2025

Why in News? 

To revitalize the cheetah rehabilitation efforts in India, eight cheetahs will be brought from Botswana in two phases. 

• As per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the process is underway to bring more cheetahs from South Africa and Kenya. 

Key Points 

• Rehabilitation of Cheetahs: 
  • Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, is India’s ambitious initiative to reintroduce the extinct species of cheetahs in the wild.  
  • So far, more than Rs. 112 crore has been spent on the project, with about 67% allocated to cheetah rehabilitation activities in Madhya Pradesh alone. 
  • Cheetahs will be rehabilitated in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary located in Madhya Pradesh. 
    • Located near the Rajasthan border, Gandhi Sagar will serve as a second home for the cheetahs, following the Kuno National Park.  
    • An inter-state conservation corridor is being developed through an agreement between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. 

  Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary 

• It is located in Madhya Pradesh on the northern border of Mandsaur and Neemuch districts adjoining Rajasthan. 
• It is characterized by vast open landscapes and rocky terrain. 
• The vegetation includes northern tropical dry deciduous forest, mixed deciduous forest, and shrubland. 
• The sanctuary is home to various flora, including Khair, Salai, Kardai, Dhavda, Tendu, and Palash.  
• Its fauna comprises species such as chinkara, nilgai, spotted deer, striped hyena, jackal, and crocodile. 

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) 

• It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 
• It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. 
• It was constituted under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended in 2006) with the powers and functions entrusted to it, it aims to strengthen tiger conservation.