MP Wildlife Exchange with Assam | 17 Jan 2026
Why in News?
Madhya Pradesh and Assam have signed an inter‑state wildlife exchange agreement to strengthen conservation by reintroducing locally extinct species and enhancing biodiversity in both states.
Key Points
- Inter‑state wildlife exchange agreement finalised: MP CM Mohan Yadav met Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati and finalised the pact for exchange of wild animals for conservation purposes.
- Wildlife from Assam to MP: Assam will translocate 50 wild water buffaloes in phased groups over three years.
- Along with one pair of one‑horned rhinos and three king cobras to MP.
- Reintroduction site in MP: Rhinos and cobras will be housed at Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal.
- Wild water buffaloes (Bubalus arnee), extinct in MP for over a century, will be reintroduced into their historic habitat at Kanha Tiger Reserve.
- From MP to Assam: Madhya Pradesh will provide Assam with a pair of tigers and six mugger crocodiles, strengthening biodiversity in Assam.
- Alignment with broader conservation efforts: The initiative builds on MP’s larger strategy of species restoration, following the introduction of cheetahs at Kuno National Park.
Status of Species
- Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee):
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- CITES: Listed in Appendix III in some countries.
- WPA Status (India): Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (highest protection).
- Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris):
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable — protected and declining due to habitat loss.
- WPA Status (India): Protected under Schedule I
- Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris):
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- One‑Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis):
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
- King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah):
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
Read More: Kanha Tiger Reserve, Kuno National Park.