Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: A cheetah from Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park has crossed the Chambal river and entered Rajasthan, forest officials said on Wednesday.
The cheetah, identified as KOMG-4, crossed the river near Gota Ghat on November 10 and reached the Ranthambore region, following which forest officials initiated monitoring of its movements.
Ranthambore National Park Deputy Conservator of Forests Manas Singh said the animal entered Rajasthan through Maharajpura Naka in the Karanpur range. Its latest location has been recorded in the Kanarda area near Maharajpura Naka. The area is close to the Sawai Madhopur district boundary, though the cheetah is currently within Karauli district, he said.
Forest teams from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are jointly tracking the animal and keeping a close watch on its location and movements.
The Chambal river forms a natural boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The cheetah's movement across the river highlights the natural dispersal of wildlife and the expansion of its habitat range, officials said.
This is not the first instance of cheetahs from Kuno crossing into Rajasthan. Their presence has been recorded in the state on several occasions. Between February 14 and April 16 this year, cheetahs were sighted in Rajasthan four times.
Cheetah KP-2 entered the Kishanganj forest area in Baran district on February 14, while KP-3 was spotted in the Banjh Amli area of Baran on March 2.
On March 19, KP-2 moved to Kota district after spending around 45 days in Baran. Its presence was subsequently recorded in the Palighat-Ajitpura area of Sawai Madhopur on April 16.
