Which wildlife sanctuary is set to host its inaugural female cheetah (Dheera) as part of a breeding/translocation initiative in 2…

Question

Which wildlife sanctuary is set to host its inaugural female cheetah (Dheera) as part of a breeding/translocation initiative in 2025?

1. A. Kuno National Park
2. B. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (Correct answer)
3. C. Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
4. D. Ranthambore National Park

Correct Answer

Option B — Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Key Points

• Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh was prepared as the second home for cheetahs in India, hosting the female cheetah Dheera as part of the translocation and breeding programme in 2025.
• It was developed specifically to relieve pressure on Kuno National Park, the first site under Project Cheetah, by giving the growing population a second established habitat.
• Gir is the sole home of the Asiatic lion, and Ranthambore is known for tigers — neither is part of the cheetah programme.

Additional Information

• Project Cheetah began in September 2022 with the translocation of cheetahs from Namibia, followed by a group from South Africa in February 2023, both released at Kuno National Park.
• The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952, making this the world's first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore.
• Gandhi Sagar lies in the Mandsaur and Neemuch districts on the Chambal river, and its open grassland-scrub terrain suits a coursing predator that hunts by speed in open country.
• The cheetah is the fastest land animal, and unlike other big cats it cannot retract its claws fully — an adaptation for grip while sprinting.