Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

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Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Context:

The Madhya Pradesh (MP) government finalised arrangements for establishment of a second cheetah habitat.

 

More on news: 

  • MP finalised preparations for the cheetah reintroduction project at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, second after Kuno National Park.
  • Teams from Kenya and South Africa had earlier visited Gandhi Sagar to assess the conditions. 
  • Prey animals from Kanha, Satpura, and Sanjay tiger reserves have been moved to  Gandhi Sagar.

 

Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

  • Location: Eastern Madhya Pradesh, spanning Mandsaur and Neemuch districts.
    • Part of Nimar region, bordering Rajasthan, characterised by dry vegetation and rocky terrain.
  • Vegetation and Forest Type:
    • Forms part of Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forest.
    • Trees include Salai, Kardhai, Dhawda, Tendu, Palash.
  • Wildlife Diversity:
  • Wildlife Species: Wild Dogs (Dholes), Chinkara, Leopard, Otter, Mugger crocodile.
  • Common Animal Sightings: Spotted Deer, Sambar, Gray Langur.
  • Gandhi Sagar Dam Backwater surrounds the sanctuary, adding to its scenic beauty and wildlife habitat.
    • The sanctuary is divided into two parts by the Chambal River flowing through it.
    • The sanctuary spans 368 square km, with an additional 2,500 sq km buffer area. 
    • A 64 square-km enclosure is being prepared within the sanctuary to initially hold the cheetahs.
  • Historical and Archaeological Significance:
    • Notified in 1974, declared a sanctuary in 1984.
    • Home to Chaturbhuj Nala rock shelters and paintings, along with Chaturbhuj Nath temple.
    • Surrounding area includes heritage sites like Dharmrajeshwar temple resembling Ajanta-Ellora rock cut temples.

Kanha Tiger Reserve:

  • Location: Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Originally divided into Hallon and Banjar sanctuaries.
  • Established as Kanha National Park in 1955. 
  • Designated as Kanha Tiger Reserve in 1973.
  • Largest National Park in Central India.

Satpura Tiger Reserve:

  • Location:Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Species include tiger, leopard, Indian bison, Indian giant squirrel, sambar, wild boar, etc.
  • Notable for over 300 caves of historical and archaeological significance.

Sanjay Tiger Reserve:

  • Location: Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Sanjay-Dubri National Park and Tiger Reserve established in 1975, to conserve biodiversity in the district’s Evergreen Sal forest.
  • Wildlife includes tiger, sloth bear, sambar (in limited hilly terrain), leopard, dhole (wild dog), jackal, fox, Indian wolf, etc.

 

Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Cheetah Reintroduction Project: 

  • India launched its Cheetah Reintroduction Project in 2022, aiming to revive the cheetah population that has been extinct since 1952.
  • Initial Release: Eight Namibian cheetahs were released into enclosures at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district on September 17, 2022.
  • Second Batch: Twelve more cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February 2023.
  • The project is led by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with support from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and cheetah experts from Namibia and South Africa.
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