Cheetah introduction in Gandhi Sagar WLS

Cheetah introduction in Gandhi Sagar WLS

Context: The Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in western Madhya Pradesh is set to become the second home for cheetahs in India, after the Kuno National Park.

Favouring conditions in Gandhi Sagar WLS

• Water availability: Chambal River cuts the sanctuary into two almost equal halves, and Gandhi Sagar Dam (the country’s third largest) provides enough water.
• Savanna ecosystem: Gandhi Sagar‘s savanna ecosystem is similar to the savanna ecosystem of Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
• Expansion potential: The cheetah habitat in Gandhi Sagar can be extended to around 2,000 sq km., depending upon the coordination with Rajasthan’s Bhainsrodgarh sanctuary.

Challenges in Gandhi Sagar WLS

• Prey base: Despite the relocation of ungulates, the population still lacks the needed prey base. According to a Wildlife Institute of India report, “considering the finite growth rate of ungulates to be ~1.33, a population of about 350 ungulates are required for a single cheetah
coalition family”.
• Ungulates are primarily big mammals with hooves (like deer).
• Co-predators population: Several co-predators, including sloth bears, striped hyenas, grey wolves, golden jackals, jungle cats, Indian foxes, marsh crocodiles, and leopards, will compete with cheetahs.
• Human activity: Unlike Kuno NP, Gandhi Sagar has a human population and associated agriculture, livestock rearing and commercial fishing