Bhopal: Nambian Cheetah’s translocation for Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, got oxygen as MP forest department has written to the national tiger conservation authority (NTCA) to revive the plan conceived in 2009. It had hit a roadblock for want of funds. As per the earlier action plan, around 20 cheetahs were to be trans-located to Nauradehi from Namibia in Africa.
MP’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Shahbaz Ahmad said, “Forest department has written to NTCA seeking revival of the cheetah reintroduction project in Nauradehi sanctuary located in MP’s Sagar district. MP forest department would need Centre’s funds for the project, he said, adding that the NTCA, a statutory body under the Union environment ministry, had committed Rs 50 crore to the state for it in 2011.”
Wild Life activist Ajay Dubey said, “It was estimated that an amount of Rs 25-30 crore would be needed to build an enclosure in an area of 150 sq km for the cheetahs in Nauradehi. The proposal was to put the felines in the enclosure with huge boundary walls before being released in the wild. Nauradehi was found to be the most suitable area for the cheetahs as its forests are not very dense to restrict the fast movement of the spotted cat. Namibia Cheetah Conservation Fund had showed its willingness to donate the felines to India.MP houses six major reserves for the tiger and is often called as the ‘Tiger state’. Prominent among them are Bandhavgarh, Pench and Kanha tiger reserves.”
