National Park

Seven elephants dead in MP's Bandhavgarh tiger reserve, probe ordered

The deaths may be linked to the elephants' consumption of Kodo millet, however, a post-mortem examination will confirm the exact cause

Female cheetah to soon give birth to cubs at Kuno National Park: CM Yadav

A female cheetah is pregnant and expected to deliver cubs soon at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared the information in a post on social media platform X late Saturday night and said this symbolises a big achievement for the 'Cheetah Project'. On September 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs -- five females and three males -- brought from Namibia into enclosures at the KNP as part of the world's first intercontinental translocation of the big cats, nearly eight decades after the cheetahs were hunted to extinction. In February 2023, another 12 cheetahs were translocated to the national park in MP from South Africa as part of the Indian government's project to reintroduce cheetahs into the country. Yadav in the post on X said, "Happiness is coming to Kuno. A female cheetah is soon going to give birth to new cubs in the Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh, the 'Cheetah State' of the ...

MP's Kuno National Park reopens, but tourists wait to see cheetahs

The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the only home of cheetahs in the country, reopened for tourists on Sunday after being shut for the annual monsoon season. But, the two-year wait of visitors to get a glimpse of the cheetahs is not yet over as the felines have not been released into the wild so far. Nearly eight decades after the cheetahs were hunted to extinction, eight large carnivores were brought from Namibia to the KNP in September 2022 and put in bomas (enclosures) to revive their population in India. Later, 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February 2023 as part of the Indian government's project to reintroduce cheetahs into the country. The park, spread over an area of 1,235 sq km including 487 sq km buffer zone, has reopened and visitors are allowed from 6.30 am to 10 am and from 3 pm to 6 pm, KNP's director Uttam Sharma told PTI on Sunday. He said the park is home to 24 cheetahs, the fastest land animals, including 12 adults brought from Namibia and So

India aims to make interstate cheetah conservation complex within 25 years

India aims to build an inter-state cheetah conservation complex in the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar landscapes across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan within the next 25 years, according to the 2023-24 annual progress report of Project Cheetah. The report, released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority on the completion of two years of Project Cheetah on September 17, said while a new batch of cheetahs was likely to be brought to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary by the end of the year, they would be released into free-ranging conditions over the next five years. According to the "Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in Gandhi Sagar", five to eight cheetahs would be released into a 64-square kilometre predator-proof fenced area in the first phase, with a focus on breeding. "Both these landscapes, along the interstate border of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are adjacent to each other, and the combined landscapes together can constitute the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar cheetah landscape for ...

Centre turned to Reliance's wildlife facility after cheetah deaths in Kuno

After three cheetahs died in just over a month last year in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, the National Tiger Conservation Authority in May 2023 called in experts from Reliance's wildlife facility in Gujarat to review health monitoring protocols, official records show. The National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) Assistant Inspector General of Forests Abhishek Kumar wrote to the CEO of Reliance Industries' Jamnagar-based Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) on May 11, 2023, requesting that a team of experts be sent to Kuno to "review health monitoring protocols" and provide advice to "ensure the welfare of the cheetahs" following the deaths of three spotted felines between March 27 and May 9. Kumar's letter said Project Cheetah was the first intercontinental reintroduction of a wild, large carnivore species with "no comparable historical precedent" and it was not surprising that a project of such a "magnitude and complexity would face many ...

Officials expediting efforts to bring next batch of cheetahs by year-end

India has expedited efforts to bring a new batch of 12-14 cheetahs by the end of the year, with a delegation set to visit South Africa soon for ground-to-ground negotiations, officials said on Tuesday. PTI has learned that negotiations are also ongoing with Kenya, and a memorandum of understanding is being finalized. "We are actively engaging with South Africa on the matter. A delegation will visit the country in late September or early October to hold ground-to-ground negotiations. The next batch of cheetahs could come from either of these two countries," the official said. The 'Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India' talks about bringing around 12-14 cheetahs each year from South Africa, Namibia, and other African countries for five years to establish a founder stock. "We have communicated to South Africa that we want to expedite efforts to bring another batch of cheetahs by the end of the year as per the recommendation of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee and in

Another Namibian male cheetah, Pawan, dies at Kuno National Park in MP

Namibian cheetah, Pawan, died in the wild at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, an official said. The latest cheetah fatality at KNP was reported weeks after a five-month-old cub of African cheetah, Gamini, died on August 5. The male cheetah, Pawan, was found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amidst bushes without any movement at around 10.30 AM on Tuesday, as per a statement issued by the office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (APCCF) and Director of Lion Project, Uttam Sharma. Veterinarians were informed and a closer inspection disclosed that the front half of the cheetah's carcass, including the head, was inside the water. No external injuries were seen anywhere on the body, as per the statement. The preliminary cause of death seems to be drowning. Further details will be provided after the postmortem report is received, it said. With the death of Pawan, KNP is left with 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and as many cubs.

SC asks Centre to consider if mining can be banned in conservation reserves

The Supreme Court asked the Centre on Wednesday to consider whether mining activities could be prohibited in areas that have been declared conservation reserves and community reserves. A bench headed by Justice B R Gavai observed that the basic idea of providing community reserves and conservation reserves was to provide a corridor for free movement of wildlife from one national park or wildlife sanctuary to another. The bench, also comprising Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan, said if conservation reserves and community reserves are to act as corridors, then mining activities in those areas may be detrimental to the movement of wildlife. "However, since the basic idea of providing community reserves and conservation reserves is to provide a corridor for the free movement of wildlife from one national park/wildlife sanctuary ... we request the Union to consider whether at least in the areas which are declared as conservation reserves and community reserves, the mining could be

5-month-old Cheetah cub dies in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park

A five-month-old cub of African cheetah, Gamini, died at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, an official said. The cub's health condition suddenly worsened on Monday morning and emergency treatment was given. But the cub unfortunately died, as per a release issued by the APCCF (Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest) and Director Lion Project. During monitoring on July 29 evening, one of the five cubs of Gamini was seen unable to lift the hind portion of its body. On further observation, the cub was seen dragging the entire hind portion. She was immediately rescued and brought to the hospital. The examination found that the cub's vertebral column was fractured, as per the release. After necessary treatment, the cub was kept under intensive supervision, it said. The cause of death will be known after the autopsy. Gamini, an African Cheetah, had given birth to six cubs in March this year and one of them had died on June 4. The remaining 13 adult cheetah

International Tiger Day: Big cat mortality drops 29% so far in 2024

The year 2023 was the worst for the tiger population, recording the highest number of mortalities in a decade with 178 tigers dying

280% surge in projects in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks in 2023-24

India saw a massive 280 per cent increase in the number of projects recommended in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in 2023-24 as compared to 2022-23, according to the data presented in Parliament on Monday. Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh also informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 957.25 square kilometers or 95,724.99 hectares of forest area has been diverted for non-forestry use under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 over five years starting from April 2019. The minister said that 71 project proposals were approved in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country in 2019-20. The numbers stood at 85 in 2020-21, 154 in 2021-22, 150 in 2022-23, and surged to 421 in 2023-24. Singh also shared that 8,731 requests for forest land diversion were approved between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023, amounting to a total of 95,724.99 hectares of forest area being set aside for non-forestry use. Madhya Pradesh saw the highe

Namibian cheetah Shaurya dies at MP's Kuno National Park; 10 deaths so far

The death of the big cat was reported at 3.17 pm on Tuesday, officials said

KNP authorities plan visitor engagement activities to raise awareness

The Kaziranga National Park (KNP) authorities to sensitise visitors towards conservation activities and popularise the Kohora Centenary Museum have decided to host an enriching and immersive programme titled 'Kajir Ronghangpi Tales' on each Saturday during the tourist season. KNP Director Sonali Ghosh told PTI that visitors to the park will get an opportunity to meet the persons behind the conservation efforts of the heritage park and delve into the cultural and rich heritage of the region. The event will showcase the park's treasure trove of natural beauty and biodiversity through live talks and screening of insightful documentaries at the museum, she said. The 'Kajir Ronghangpi Tales' programme is an initiative to honour the cultural legacy and narratives that enrich the fabric of Kaziranga and its surrounding regions, the KNP director said. It aims to create a platform for cultural exchange and appreciation, inviting visitors to embark on a journey of discovery and connection wi

1 more cheetah dies at Kuno National Park, death toll climbs to 9 since Mar

One more cheetah has died at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, making it the sixth adult feline to have died since March, according to a statement from the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department on Wednesday. "This morning, one of the female cheetahs - Dhatri (Tiblisi) -- was found dead. To determine the cause of the death, a post-mortem is being conducted," the statement read. While 14 cheetahs -- seven males, six females and one female cub -- are kept in the bomas in Kuno, a female cheetah is out in the open and is being intensively monitored by a team. Efforts are on to bring her back to the boma for a health examination, the statement said.

In wake of Cheetah deaths experts demand increased role of experienced vets

In the wake of the death of seven cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park since March this year, wildlife experts have questioned the way the African felines have been handled and suggested more experienced veterinarians be involved in taking care of these animals. In the latest incident, male cheetah Tejas died in the KNP on Tuesday. The autopsy report revealed the cheetah was "internally weak" and unable to recover from a "traumatic shock" after a violent fight with a female cheetah, according to a forest official. The death of Tejas, brought to KNP in Sheopur district from South Africa in February this year, is yet another blow to the central government's cheetah reintroduction programme launched with much fanfare in September last year. With this, seven felines, including three cubs born to Namibian cheetah 'Jwala', have died at the KNP since March. Talking to PTI, Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India's (WII) former dean and senior profession Y V Jhala said, "Thou

7 more cheetahs to be released in Kuno National Park by June third week

Seven more cheetahs, including two females, will be released into the wild in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park by the third week of June, the chairman of the high-level committee set up to monitor the progress of the much vaunted Cheetah reintroduction project said on Thursday. Under the ambitious programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the first batch of eight spotted felines from Namibia into a quarantine enclosure at Kuno in Madhya Pradesh on September 17 last year. In a second such translocation, 12 cheetahs were flown in from South Africa and released into Kuno on February 18. Three cheetahs died in March and April. Of the 17 remaining adult cheetahs, seven have already been released into the wild. "The project is on track and there's no cause for worry. We have decided to release seven more cheetahs, including two females, by the third week of June," Rajesh Gopal, the panel's chairman and the secretary general of the Global Tiger Forum, told PTI. "Of the 10 cheet

Two more cheetah cubs die inside Kuno National Park, another rescued

The fatalities take the total number of deaths to six in the past two months. The cubs were found dead in a gasping condition on Tuesday morning

SC modifies 2022 order, removes ban on development activities around ESZs

The apex court's decision was announced after a three-judge bench, headed by Justice BR Gavai, revised their previous ruling

Big cats vs development

Conservation policies need to adjust for this conflict

Cheetahs exploring habitat, Project Tiger head on straying incident in MP

Cheetahs released into the wild are exploring their habitat and it's a very good sign, a senior environment ministry official has said after a spotted feline strayed out of Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park recently. State forest officials on Friday said that Oban, one of the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia in September last year, had strayed out of the Kuno National Park on April 2. It was rescued from a forest area in a neighbouring Shivpuri district on Thursday evening and released into the national park again, they said. Additional Director General of Forests S P Yadav told PTI that such movement of cheetahs is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing to worry about. "Four cheetahs have been released completely. They are free ranging in the wild. Their movement is natural. We are happy that cheetahs are moving and exploring the areas and based on the exploration they identify their suitable habitat," Yadav, who is also the head of Project Tiger, said in an interview with