Two cheetahs released into tiger reserve, their third habitat in Madhya Pradesh
The Hindu – International
You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials,
Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
Weather News October 7, 2026 e-Paper
The View From India
Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show
News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache
Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All
The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point
Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge
At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters
Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda
Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books
Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
Weather News October 7, 2026 e-Paper
Updated – October 07, 2026 10:47 pm IST – Sagar
Image used for representational purposes only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Madhya PradeshChief MinisterMohan Yadav released two cheetahs in the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Sagar district on Wednesday (October 7, 2026), marking the expansion of the cheetah conservation project.
Also read | As Project Cheetah completes 4 years, big cat population in India rises to 52
He said it was a historic day for Madhya Pradesh’s wildlife, adding that the cats have been named Vyom and Neera.
After Kuno National Park in Sheopur district and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur, the tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region will be the third cheetah habitat in M.P.
Officials said the cheetahs were released on the concluding day of ‘Wildlife Conservation Week’. During the event, Mr. Yadav also released the ‘Vulture Population Estimation 2026’ report and the book Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, written in Bundelkhandi.
The CM said in the current year, nearly ₹80 crore was collected from sanctuaries in M.P., of which ₹20 crore was distributed to the residents of surrounding villages. “This is their right, as they have been living around these sanctuaries for years,” he said.
Mr. Yadav said the Government is also facilitating homestay services. Home owners in the buffer zone of Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR) can rent their properties as homestays. Further, the government is also providing these villagers with a grant of ₹2-3 lakh, he said.
Mr. Yadav announced that two more cheetahs would be brought to VDTR next month. These four will increase the number of cats as their families grow, he said.
The CM also spoke about vultures, saying MP has the highest number of these carrion-eating birds.
“Our state also has the highest number of tigers in the entire country. Besides we have released unique species of turtles, Gharials and crocodiles into the Chambal and Narmada rivers,” he said.
Taking a dig at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Yadav said, “Pappu doesn’t understand anything. We are living in such good times. The world is looking at India with hope, but those who have lost power are doing whatever they want in their pursuit of it.”
“Madhya Pradesh has become an excellent example of the revival of a species that had become extinct in Asia. The cheetah population has grown from eight to 60. This will strengthen the ecosystem and tourism will develop. Tigers already exist here,” he added.
The VDTR, also known as the Nauradehi Tiger Reserve, is Madhya Pradesh’s largest tiger habitat, spanning about 2,339 square kilometres across Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts.
Established in 1997, the area was designated a tiger reserve on September 20, 2023, after being integrated with the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, officials said.
The area is home to diverse wildlife species, including tigers, leopards, chital, sambar, nilgai and bears, and is also important for conservation of endangered Indian vulture species, they said.
Special arrangements have been made over approximately 439 hectares for the cheetahs. A secure habitat equipped with modern enclosures (bomas) and other facilities has been created.
According to officials, the presence of cheetahs will boost wildlife tourism in Sagar and Bundelkhand, creating new employment opportunities and boosting the local economy.
Published – October 07, 2026 10:26 pm IST
ministers (government)
/
Cheetah Project
/
wildlife
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
Fonte: The Hindu – International
