India to Bring Cheetahs from Botswana for Rehabilitation
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | India to Bring Cheetahs from Botswana |
| Objective | Revitalize the cheetah rehabilitation efforts in India |
| Number of Cheetahs | Eight cheetahs will be brought in two phases |
| Additional Sources | More cheetahs to be brought from South Africa and Kenya as per NTCA |
| Project Name | Project Cheetah launched in 2022 |
| Total Expenditure | More than Rs. 112 crore spent on the project |
| Major Allocation | About 67% allocated to cheetah rehabilitation activities in Madhya Pradesh |
| Rehabilitation Site | Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh |
| Second Site | Follows Kuno National Park as a second home for cheetahs |
| Conservation Corridor | An inter-state conservation corridor being developed between MP and Rajasthan |
| Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary | Located in Mandsaur and Neemuch districts of MP, adjoining Rajasthan |
| Terrain | Vast open landscapes and rocky terrain |
| Vegetation | Northern tropical dry deciduous forest, mixed deciduous forest, and shrubland |
| Flora | Khair, Salai, Kardai, Dhavda, Tendu, and Palash |
| Fauna | Chinkara, nilgai, spotted deer, striped hyena, jackal, and crocodile |
| NTCA Role | Statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |
| NTCA Establishment | Established in 2005 following Tiger Task Force recommendations |
| Legal Basis | Constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended in 2006) |