Nauradehi Sanctuary to Become India’s Third Home for Cheetahs
📰 Why in News?
The Nauradehi Sanctuary (Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary)in Madhya Pradesh is being developed as India’s third habitat for cheetahs, after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
This new initiative under Project Cheetah will strengthen India’s efforts to reintroduce the fastest animal on earth to its natural environment.
🌿 About Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary
- Location: Spread across the districts of Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh.
- Geography: Situated in the upper Vindhyan range, it connects the Ganga and Narmada river basins, making it a vital ecological region.
- Wildlife Connectivity:
- Acts as a biological corridor between Panna and Satpura Tiger Reserves.
- Also indirectly connects with Bandhavgarh and Rani Durgawati Wildlife Sanctuary, creating a continuous wildlife network in central India.
🐾 About Project Cheetah
Project Cheetah was launched in 2020 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
The project aims to reintroduce cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in India after their extinction in 1952 and to restore grassland ecosystems essential for biodiversity.
🔑 Key Features of Project Cheetah
- Global Partnership:
Cheetahs are being brought from Namibia and South Africa under intergovernmental agreements (MoUs). - Implementation:
The project is being executed jointly by the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. - Funding:
Supported by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and central government allocations. - Reintroduction Sites:
- Kuno National Park (2022): India’s first cheetah reintroduction site.
- Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary (2024): Second site for the project.
- Nauradehi Sanctuary: Now being prepared as the third cheetah habitat in India.
🌱 Importance of the Nauradehi Cheetah Project
- Expands India’s cheetah conservation network.
- Helps maintain ecological balance and grassland biodiversity.
- Creates eco-tourism and livelihood opportunities for local communities.
- Enhances wildlife corridors across central India, promoting genetic diversity among species.
📈 Future Prospects
With Nauradehi Sanctuary joining Kuno and Gandhi Sagar as cheetah habitats, India is moving closer to establishing a sustainable population of cheetahs in the wild.
The project also aims to raise awareness about wildlife conservation and revive India’s lost natural heritage.
💬 Conclusion
The preparation of Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary as India’s third cheetah home highlights the country’s dedication to biodiversity conservation.
Under Project Cheetah, India is not only bringing back a lost species but also restoring its grasslands and ecological harmony — a true example of coexistence between humans and wildlife.
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