📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Charles J. Sharp
Science
Cheetahs Reintroduced to Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve After 114 Years
✍️ The Cliff News
🗓 08 Oct 2026, 02:02 PM
👁 8
A pair of cheetahs have been released into the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, marking the species’ first appearance in the area in over a century.
Cheetahs have been released into the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, ending a 114‑year absence of the predator from the sanctuary. The reintroduction was carried out by forest officials as part of a broader effort to restore native carnivores and enhance biodiversity in the reserve.
Authorities said the cheetahs were transported from a breeding centre and released into a designated zone where prey availability and habitat suitability have been assessed. Conservationists will monitor the animals using radio collars and field observations to gauge their adaptation and impact on the ecosystem.
The move follows similar rewilding projects across India aimed at reviving species that vanished from the subcontinent decades ago. Officials hope the cheetahs will establish a viable population, contributing to the ecological balance of the tiger reserve while attracting wildlife tourism.
Local communities have been briefed about the initiative, and forest staff are prepared to address any human‑wildlife interactions that may arise as the cheetahs settle into their new range.
Authorities said the cheetahs were transported from a breeding centre and released into a designated zone where prey availability and habitat suitability have been assessed. Conservationists will monitor the animals using radio collars and field observations to gauge their adaptation and impact on the ecosystem.
The move follows similar rewilding projects across India aimed at reviving species that vanished from the subcontinent decades ago. Officials hope the cheetahs will establish a viable population, contributing to the ecological balance of the tiger reserve while attracting wildlife tourism.
Local communities have been briefed about the initiative, and forest staff are prepared to address any human‑wildlife interactions that may arise as the cheetahs settle into their new range.