📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / A. J. T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NCF
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Female cheetah Nirva from Kuno National Park spotted third time in Karauli’s Mandrayal forest
✍️ Amar Ujala · Rajasthan
🗓 06 Nov 2026, 12:01 PM
👁 9
The Kuno National Park’s resident female cheetah, Nirva, has been recorded for the third time in the Mandrayal forest of Karauli district, Rajasthan, prompting joint monitoring by state forest departments.
Forest officials in Rajasthan reported that the female cheetah known as Nirva, originally released from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, has been sighted again in the Mandrayal forest area of Karauli district. This marks the third confirmed appearance of the animal in the region, confirming its continued movement across the state border.
The repeated presence of Nirva in the Karauli forests underscores the growing connectivity between the habitats of the reintroduced cheetah population and the wild corridors of neighboring states. Conservationists view such sightings as an encouraging sign that the cheetah is adapting to the semi‑arid landscape of Rajasthan.
Both the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh forest departments have deployed teams to monitor the cheetah’s movements, using camera traps and field patrols. Their coordinated effort aims to ensure the animal’s safety while gathering data that will inform future reintroduction strategies.
The incident comes amid ongoing efforts to establish a viable cheetah population in India, a project that began in 2022 with the translocation of several individuals from Africa to Kuno. Authorities hope that continued sightings like Nirva’s will demonstrate the long‑term success of the program.
The repeated presence of Nirva in the Karauli forests underscores the growing connectivity between the habitats of the reintroduced cheetah population and the wild corridors of neighboring states. Conservationists view such sightings as an encouraging sign that the cheetah is adapting to the semi‑arid landscape of Rajasthan.
Both the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh forest departments have deployed teams to monitor the cheetah’s movements, using camera traps and field patrols. Their coordinated effort aims to ensure the animal’s safety while gathering data that will inform future reintroduction strategies.
The incident comes amid ongoing efforts to establish a viable cheetah population in India, a project that began in 2022 with the translocation of several individuals from Africa to Kuno. Authorities hope that continued sightings like Nirva’s will demonstrate the long‑term success of the program.