| Banni Grassland • It is being prepared as a potential habitat. • Banni, a vast 3,500 square kilometre grassland in southern Kutch, offers plenty of space but lacks sufficient prey to sustain a viable cheetah population. • Antelope species like chinkara and blackbuck are present but insufficient, necessitating the introduction of chital, the main prey for cheetahs in India. |
- Some of the next batch of cheetahs from Africa, part of Project Cheetah, may be sent to a cheetah-breeding and conservation centre in Banni, Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
- Although Gandhi Sagar sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh is the preferred location for the next batch of cheetahs.
- The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department manages the cheetahs at Kuno, with input from an expert steering committee.
- Of the 20 adult cheetahs brought to Kuno since September 2022, 13 survive, along with 13 cubs.
- However, Kuno’s capacity is only for 21 adult cheetahs.
- The government estimates that India will need to import 10-12 adult cheetahs annually for the next five years to establish a sustainable breeding population.
- Banni, with no leopards and adequate prey, could sustain a larger population over time.
- All cheetahs in Kuno are expected to be released into the wild, currently held in large enclosures due to infections and acclimatization issues.
Dig Deeper: Read about Various Species of Cheetah and their IUCN status.
