Project Cheetah Marks 3 Years, Female Transferred from Kuno to Gandhisagar

Quick Summary:

• On September 17, 2025, female cheetah ‘Dheera’ was relocated from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district.
• This relocation occurred on the third anniversary of India’s Cheetah Project-a program to reintroduce cheetahs after their extinction in 1952.
• Gandhi Sagar sanctuary now houses three cheetahs-two males (Prabhas and Pawak) and Dheera-in a fenced 64 sq. km. enclosure along the Chambal river.
• The relocation aims to enhance the cheetah population within Gandhi sagar sanctuary.
• India currently has a total of 27 cheetahs:

– Eleven adults translocated from Africa (six females,five males).
– Sixteen Indian-born cubs following multiple litters since reintroduction began.

• The NTCA called Project Cheetah “a living symbol of resilience and hope” despite setbacks over it’s three-year span.
• Coinciding with this event,Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar on his birthday to inaugurate India’s first PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park along with other projects.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The successful translocation of Dheera marks another milestone in India’s aspiring Cheetah Project just three years after its inception. Although challenges such as mortality among translocated animals have periodically emerged, the project demonstrates persistence towards establishing populations across multiple sanctuaries like Kuno and Gandhi Sagar. By expanding habitat diversity for these apex predators using enclosed areas like Gandhisagar’s fenced space, authorities mitigate risks while promoting species recovery.

From an ecological perspective, creating sanctuaries rich in biodiversity not only safeguards endangered species but may also strengthen local ecosystems through natural predator-prey dynamics. On a national scale, projects like this symbolize India’s global commitment toward wildlife conservation underlining optimism for similar initiatives elsewhere.

Prime Minister Modi’s attendance highlights both ecological significance aligned with sustainable advancement goals alongside industrial expansion via PM MITRA parks-the dual approach balancing conservation ideals with developmental priorities.

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