Kuno cheetah deaths: Government identifies potential sites in MP, Rajasthan for cheetah accommodation

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have told the Supreme Court that apart from the Kuno National Park, they have identified potential sites for cheetah introduction in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. These include Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and Shahgarh Bulge, Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and enclosure of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.

They, however, said the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve is at present not fit for accommodating Cheetahs, eight of which have died in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) in the last few months. The response of the NTCA and the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) came in a joint affidavit after the top court, while expressing concern over the death of cheetahs at KNP had asked the Centre to explore shifting the big cats imported from Namibia and South Africa to other sanctuaries.

The top court had on July 20 observed the death of eight cheetahs in the KNP in less than one year doesn't present a «good picture». The NTCA named the potential sites identified in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as part of an action plan for cheetah introduction.

The authority said the introduction of cheetah in these places depends on the continued availability of the animal from African countries for sourcing, as well as the status of habitat, prey base and protection mechanism on the ground. "...the suitability of Mukundra Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, the NTCA is of the considered opinion based on consultation with the experts that Mukundra Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan is not in a position to accommodate cheetahs at present," it said.