Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh has been contemplated as one potential new address for the country's project on introducing cheetahs back to the Indian land. Recently, it has been constituted as a Tiger Reserve through a merge between Nauradehi and Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuaries. This big habitat comprises around 2,339 square kilometers that have their existence divided into three districts - Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur.
The reserve has a good combination of dry forests, grasslands, and hilly landscapes, which prove to be apt for large wild animals such as tigers and quite possibly cheetahs. According to experts, the grasslands in this region provide the ideal conditions for cheetahs to survive and hunt.
It was also earlier proposed as a suitable area for re-introducing cheetahs. It has expansive open spaces, an adequate population of prey animals, and hardly any human presence. Now that Nauradehi is included in the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, the possibilities of this area being selected have grown.
At present, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is the primary location for cheetah reintroduction in Madhya Pradesh. But if necessary, Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve can be utilized as an alternative or supplementary location in the future.
The reserve has already been successful in conserving wildlife. Since 2018, its tiger population has increased from merely one tiger to more than fifteen. This indicates that the environment is good and the conservation efforts are effective.
The plan to introduce cheetahs to this sanctuary is still pending, and the decision will be taken after thorough studies and planning. If selected, it would be another major step in India's quest to reintroduce the cheetah, which had become extinct in India in the 1950s.
Wildlife lovers and forest officials are hopeful that this new reserve can play a key role in protecting and growing India’s wild animal population, including the world's fastest land animal – the cheetah.
