State PCS - Madhya Pradesh (MP PCS)

• 19 Jun 2025

Cheetahs Spotted Near Pagara Dam

Why in News? 

Cheetahs from Kuno National Park appeared near Pagara Dam in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district, prompting the forest department to urge people to stay alert. 

Key Points 

• About Kuno National Park:  Located in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur and Morena districts, Kuno National Park was originally declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1981, it gained national park status in 2018 due to its ecological importance. 
  • The National Park is named after Kuno River, a major tributary of the Chambal river, and it consists mainly of dry deciduous forests. It is situated in the Vindhya mountain range.  
  • Kuno National Park is the habitat for cheetahs relocated from Namibia and South Africa under Project Cheetah. 
  • Fauna:   Leopard, striped hyena, Indian wolf, blackbuck, sambar deer, gharial (Kuno River).  
  • Flora:  The primary tree species are Kardhaai, Khair and Salai . 
• Project Cheetah: Launched in 2022, aimed at reintroducing cheetahs extinct in India since 1952, the project involves translocating cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National Park. 
  • The project is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and cheetah experts from Namibia and South Africa.  
  • Phase-2 of the project plans to source cheetahs from Kenya and introduce them to Kuno and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. 

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)  

• The NTCA is a statutory body constituted under the enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006. It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and NTCA was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.  
  • The NTCA was created to strengthen tiger conservation in India, exercising powers and performing functions as assigned under the said Act

Wildlife Institute of India 

• Established in 1982, it is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 
• It is based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The Wildlife Institute of India offers training programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife research and management.