MP News: South African Experts Take Stock Of Project Cheetah In Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The five-member South African team, whichvisited Kuno National Park recently, also wentto the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary and took stock of the Project Cheetah on Friday. The teamexpressed satisfaction over the management and other aspects related with the project.

A senior official of Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary said that the South African team was surprised toknow that male cheetahs Prabhash and Pavak were killing blue bulls which were big animals.

They were informed that out of the total killings by these two, 50 percent comprised blue bulls. Normally cheetahs do not kill the blue bulls and prefer deer, black bucks and other smaller animals.

The South African team saw the grassland andmeadows dotting the Gandhi SagarSanctuary. It was content withthe strength of the prey base meant for cheetahs.

Mandsaur divisional forest officer Sanjay Raikhere gave a presentation on the workdone in Project Cheetah in the last three years.

The South African delegation comprised advocate Anthony Mitchell, Head of Officeand Cabinet Liaison Officer to Deputy Minister Narend Singh, retired officer KamChetty, Sam Ferreira, chief biologist at SANParks, Brent Coverdale, animal scientist at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Jeanetta Cellier, senior scientist at South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

As many as 67 blue bulls and around 310 black bucks captured from Shajapur were recently released in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.This has added to thepresence of herbivore animals.