Gujarat's Banni Grasslands To Become Breeding Centre For Cheetahs
After Madhya Pradesh, neighbouring Gujarat is set to become the second state to have Cheetahs. The Central government approved the proposal to set up a breeding centre in Banni grasslands.
After Madhya Pradesh, neighbouring Gujarat is set to become the second state to have Cheetahs as the Central government approved the proposal to set up a breeding centre in Banni grasslands.
According to Gujarat Forest Minister Mulubhai Bera, the state government had proposed to use the Banni Grassland as a cheetah breeding and conservation centre, which was accepted by the central government in a meeting held on Friday.
Why Banni Grasslands
Bera further said that Banni Grassland used to be the habitat of cheetahs before they became extinct in the 1940s.
Banni Grassland is considered one of the finest grasslands in India and is also home to the Maldhari pastoral community and the Banni buffalo breed.
Where is Banni Grasslands
It should be noted that the Banni grasslands, which is spread over 2,500 sq km in Gujarat¡¯s Kutch district was one of the locations initially considered for the reintroduction of African Cheetahs to India.
Eventually, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) chose Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh to become the first home for Cheetahs in India.
The first batch of eight Cheetahs from Namibia were brought to India in September 2022, followed by another set of 12 big cats from South Africa in February 2023.
When will India get third batch of Cheetahs
While the two batches of Cheetahs were housed in KNP, the third batch which is likely to arrive in a few weeks will be sent to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, situated on the border of Neemuch and Mandsaur districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Following the death of nine Cheetahs, including six adults and three cubs, within a year wildlife experts and even the Supreme Court had asked the government to find a second home for them.
Though Gujarat minister Bera has claimed that Banni was once home to free-ranging wild cheetahs, many senior forest officers and forest conservationists have expressed concerns over bringing them back to the grassland citing a shortage of prey base there.
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