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.

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.

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.

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.