Madhya Pradesh plans a new home for cheetahs, but leopards will have to move out first

According to an action plan devised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the MP wildlife department and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), 6-8 cheetahs will be released into a 64 sq km predator-proof enclosure within the sanctuary’s West Range in the initial phase.

This area, characterised by savannah grasslands, supports an “adequate” prey base, with chinkara populations reaching 7.4 individuals/sq m and nilgai at 4.4 individuals/sq km. The sanctuary’s other prey species include chital, wild pig, peafowl, and hare, although their densities are significantly lower.

According to the action plan, the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary currently has a capacity of 10 cheetahs. “In order to sustain 6-8 cheetahs inside the predator proof fenced area, annual requirement is 1,560-2,080 prey animals per annum or 26-35 prey animals per sq km. The current prey availability inside the fenced area is 475 animals and is being augmented with 1,500 prey animals such as chital, blackbuck and nilgai,” the action plan states.

However, the sanctuary’s robust leopard population presents a formidable challenge. According to the plan, the sanctuary has an estimated population of 70 leopards in the West Range, and they pose a significant threat to cheetahs, particularly cubs and juveniles, and compete for similar prey.

To mitigate this risk, all “leopards within the fenced area will be captured and relocated before the cheetahs are brought to Gandhi Sagar WLS”, according to the action plan.

“Cheetahs and leopards may sometimes get involved in inter-specific strife resulting in injuries and even deaths. However, that would be a natural process and management by appropriate supplementation and recruitment from the introduced population would compensate for these. All the leopards within the predator proof fenced area will be captured and relocated before the cheetahs are brought to Gandhi Sagar WLS,” it says.

According to the action plan, this translocation effort is not a one-time activity but part of a “decade-long strategy to stabilise the cheetah population”.

“In addition, at least 10 leopards will be fitted with GPS collars to monitor their movements and interactions with other carnivores as part of a comprehensive research programme,” it states.

This research aims to shed light on “resource separation amongst carnivore communities”, which include hyenas, wolves, jackals, and sloth bears, the plan says. A network of 200 infrared camera traps will be deployed to monitor these populations, while scat analysis will provide insights into dietary preferences.

“This data will inform future management strategies, with the ultimate goal of promoting coexistence between leopards and cheetahs. The sanctuary’s prey base will also be closely monitored through distance sampling and camera-trap surveys, ensuring sufficient food availability for both cheetahs and other carnivores,” the action plan says.

A senior wildlife official says the translocation of leopards “is a crucial step in creating a safer environment” for cheetahs. “The competition with the stronger, more adaptable leopards could jeopardise the fragile population of the newly introduced predators,” the official says.

Here’s what the action plan says:

*A population of 12-14 wild cheetahs, including 8-10 males and 4-6 females, would be imported from suitable parks or reserves in African countries to establish a new cheetah population in India. These cheetahs would be selected from a “genetically diverse, disease-free, and reproductively viable age group”. Behavioural suitability — such as being predator-wary, capable of hunting wild prey, and socially tolerant — would also be critical. The selection criteria would ensure minimal human imprinting while maintaining tolerance to human presence.

*To create a strong genetic foundation, the cheetahs’ lineage and conditions would be evaluated in the source country to “avoid excessive inbreeding”. Individuals would be chosen based on “known life histories and lineages monitored by supplying agencies, experts, or donors”. These selections would consider ecological factors like “genetic relatedness, social behaviour, and overall compatibility with the population’s needs”.

*Genetic analysis of the cheetahs would be carried out using “micro-satellite and genomic” techniques, on all founder individuals to “establish a wide gene pool”.

“This would be done to track genetic diversity and identify any signs of inbreeding. This data would guide the active management of the population, including the introduction of new individuals from other cheetah populations in India or additional imports from Africa as needed,” the official quoted earlier says.

*The cheetahs will be monitored with the help of individual identification where a computer database containing “profiles of individually identified cheetahs would be maintained by the research team and NTCA”, the action plan says. This database would be analysed to “study cheetah demography and population dynamics”.

“Individual profiles of all the cheetahs of Gandhi Sagar would be maintained by the research team as well as by the park management so as to monitor cheetah survival and other vital rates,” the plan says.

* Introducing cheetahs into Gandhi Sagar is expected to trigger ecological ripple effects, influencing prey species behaviour and habitat use. To anticipate and mitigate these impacts, key prey species such as blackbuck, chital, and nilgai may be supplemented as needed.

* Radio-collaring prey animals will provide additional data on how they adapt to the presence of a new predator. The fenced area “would be fostered as a cheetah source area to supplement populations of cheetah in areas outside after habitat restoration”.

Gandhi Sagar’s restoration is envisioned as part of a broader cheetah conservation initiative, with Rajasthan’s Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve also identified as potential sites for population expansion. These areas, like Gandhi Sagar, will undergo extensive habitat restoration and prey augmentation to support sustainable cheetah populations.

There are currently 24 cheetahs, including 12 cubs, at Kuno National Park. After spending over a year inside protective enclosures, two cheetahs — Agni and Vayu — were released into the open forest area.

The Kuno action plan had envisaged free-ranging cheetahs that would be able to survive in the wild with leopards and other co-predators. But cheetahs had to be brought to the enclosures on August 13, 2023, after three adults “died due to septicaemia”.