Raj forests central to creating cheetah corridor with Kuno

JAIPUR: The first interstate meeting to discuss the development of a designated ‘cheetah corridor’ between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is set to take place on Sunday. Senior forest officials from both states, including Rajasthan’s Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW), the Ranthambore field director, Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) from Kota and Baran, and their counterparts from Madhya Pradesh, will attend the two-day session.

Seven districts in Rajasthan were highlighted in the recent Project Cheetah report released on September 17 as part of the interstate cheetah conservation complex.

A senior official said, “This initiative is part of an action plan aimed at managing cheetahs in Kuno National Park (KNP), Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), and their adjacent landscapes as a metapopulation. The proposed cheetah corridor, which straddles the state border between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, will connect these two significant wildlife areas, forming the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar Cheetah Landscape.”

A large portion of this cheetah corridor will traverse through Rajasthan's landscapes, including districts such as Baran, Sawai Madhopur, Kota, Karauli, Jhalawar, Bundi, and Chittorgarh.

“The combined forest areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan form a vast 17,000 km² landscape, with Rajasthan contributing approximately 6,500 km² of forest cover. This makes the state's contribution crucial for the successful rehabilitation of cheetahs in the region,” added the official.

In the annual progress report, Bringing Back the Cheetah to India, it is mentioned that forested regions in Rajasthan, including Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve, and the forests of Bundi and Bhainsrodgarh, are expected to serve as key corridors for cheetah movement. With the Chambal River basin as a central feature, this area offers diverse habitats conducive to the survival of cheetahs.

A senior official said, “The proposal for the interstate coordination committee has been sent to the state govt. It will be formed to develop the cheetah landscape in Rajasthan in collaboration with officials from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.”

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