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Module 7 • Project Cheetah & Wildlife CorridorsOctober 202614 min read

Project Cheetah, Kuno Expansion & Wildlife Management in MP

Target Exam: MPPSC State Services & Scientific Officer•Official Sources: Madhya Pradesh State Gazettes, Budget & Official ReleasesMadhya Pradesh State Gazettes, Budget & Official Releases

Project Cheetah, Kuno Expansion & Wildlife Management in MP

Madhya Pradesh occupies the center-stage of global wildlife reintroduction through Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district. Officially declared extinct in India in 1952, the cheetah's return represents the world's first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore.

1. Translocation Timeline & Population Dynamics

The cheetah reintroduction program has unfolded across phased international translocations:

1.
Namibia (September 2022): 8 cheetahs (5 females, 3 males) released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kuno National Park.
2.
South Africa (February 2023): 12 cheetahs translocated to expand genetic diversity.
3.
Botswana (January 2026): 9 cheetahs translocated under an inter-governmental bilateral agreement to maintain continuous genetic inflow.

May 2026 Milestone

In May 2026, two female cheetahs from the Botswana cohort were successfully released into the open wild from soft-release enclosures. At this point, India's total cheetah tally reached 57 cheetahs (including free-ranging adults, boma-held adults, and multiple surviving litters).

2. The Landmark April 2026 Breeding Breakthrough

In April 2026, an Indian-born female cheetah successfully gave birth to four cubs in the wild at Kuno without human or captive intervention.

Why This Matters for MPPSC:

•
Demonstrates ecological acclimatization to the Central Indian tropical dry deciduous forest and savanna biome.
•
Proves reproductive viability of subsequent-generation felines in indigenous wild conditions.
•
Validates the thesis that Kuno's prey density and maternal shelter sites support successful natural cub-rearing.

3. Landscape-Level Expansion (5,000 sq km Corridors)

The initial carrying capacity of Kuno National Park (~748 sq km core) is insufficient for a self-sustaining metapopulation. Consequently, Madhya Pradesh has expanded the conservation zone into a 5,000 sq km landscape:

A. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (Mandsaur & Neemuch)

•
Situated in the Chambal River basin on the MP-Rajasthan border.
•
A 64 sq km predator-proof predator-soft-release boma was established with high-voltage fencing and telemetry tracking.
•
Pre-release habitat development involved translocating chital (spotted deer) and blackbuck from overpopulated reserves (e.g., Kanha, Pench, Narsinghgarh).

B. Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary (Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve)

•
Spanning Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts.
•
Vast open grassland-forest mosaic identified as a secondary cheetah metapopulation node to hedge against localized disease outbreaks.

4. Community Integration: The "Cheetah Mitras" Model

Conservation success relies on grassroots rural engagement:

•
Cheetah Mitras (Friends of Cheetah): Over 400 local youth and pastoralists from the predominantly Sahariya PVTG and Gujjar communities trained to monitor feline movement, dispel myths, and prevent retaliatory killings.
•
Village Rehabilitation: Peaceful voluntary relocation of historic enclaves (such as Sahasram) out of core park boundaries with land-for-land and cash compensation packages.

5. Critical Ecological & Governance Challenges

DimensionFactual Nuance / Exam Argument
Inter-Species CompetitionHigh leopard density in Kuno poses cub mortality risks; managed through zoning and prey segregation.
Veterinary SurveillanceRadio collar induced dermatitis and tick-borne infections addressed via dry-season collar monitoring protocols.
Prey Base ManagementSustained herbivores required (~50–60 ungulates per adult cheetah per year); ongoing herbivore translocations from southern MP parks.
Inter-State CoordinationCheetahs wandering into Baran (Rajasthan) and Sheopur borderlands necessitate joint SOPs between MP and Rajasthan Forest Departments.
Key Examination Takeaways:
  • Kuno National Park in Sheopur district is India's premier cheetah reintroduction habitat, with successive cohorts brought from Namibia (8 in 2022), South Africa (12 in 2023), and Botswana (9 in 2026).
  • By May 2026, India's cheetah population reached 57, highlighted by the landmark April 2026 event where an Indian-born female gave birth to 4 cubs in the open wild at Kuno.
  • MP has expanded the cheetah conservation habitat to a 5,000 sq km landscape, establishing Gandhi Sagar (Mandsaur/Neemuch) and Nauradehi as strategic alternate homes.
  • Grassroots conservation is driven by over 400 local 'Cheetah Mitras' primarily from the Sahariya PVTG community alongside extensive herbivore prey-base augmentation.
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Q1

In which district of Madhya Pradesh is Kuno National Park, the primary site for India's Project Cheetah, located?

Q2

From which country was the January 2026 cohort of 9 cheetahs translocated to India under the Project Cheetah bilateral agreement?

Q3

What major reproduction milestone was recorded in Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park in April 2026?

Q4

By May 2026, following the release of female cheetahs from the Botswana cohort into the open wild, what was the total cheetah count in India?

Q5

Which wildlife sanctuary in the Chambal basin (Mandsaur and Neemuch districts) has been developed with a 64 sq km fenced enclosure as a secondary habitat for cheetahs?

Q6

In which official year was the Asiatic cheetah officially declared extinct in India?

Q7

What is the primary conservation role of local volunteers designated as 'Cheetah Mitras' around Kuno National Park?

Q8

Which Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) predominantly inhabits the forest periphery of Kuno National Park in Sheopur?

Q9

Which river flows directly through Kuno National Park, serving as its primary lifeline and eponymous watercourse?

Q10

To what approximate total area has the broader Kuno conservation landscape been expanded to accommodate cheetah dispersal and corridors?

Q11

Which other sanctuary in MP, spanning Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur (now part of Veerangana Durgavati TR), has been identified as a long-term cheetah habitat?

Q12

Which herbivore species has been translocated in large numbers from other MP protected areas (e.g. Kanha and Pench) to augment the prey base at Kuno and Gandhi Sagar?

Q13

Which neighbouring state borders the Sheopur-Kuno landscape, frequently requiring inter-state forest department coordination when cheetahs cross border boundaries?

Q14

What is the primary ecological predator with which cheetahs face significant inter-species territorial and cub-competition inside Kuno National Park?

Q15

Which historic village enclave inside Kuno National Park was peacefully relocated outside the core boundary to ensure undisturbed wildlife habitat?

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