Madhya Pradesh’s Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is preparing to welcome Agni and Vaayu, two South African cheetahs that have spent over a year in captivity at Kuno National Park. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has announced that the release of these cheetahs will take place in phases, although they will not be placed into fully free-ranging conditions.

According to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department’s report, “Bringing Back the Cheetah to India 2023–24,” only Pawan and South African female cheetah Veera have been released into free-ranging conditions since December 2023. Currently, 11 adult cheetahs and a dozen cubs remain in enclosures at Kuno National Park, while Veera continues to adapt to life in the wild.

Previous reports, including the “Introduction of Cheetah in India Annual Report 2022-23,” indicated that several cheetahs, such as Jwala, Nabha, and Sasha from Namibia, as well as Uday, Daksha, and Tejas, were never released into the wild. Following recommendations from the Cheetah Steering Committee, authorities confirmed the upcoming release of Agni and Vaayu into the 368-square-kilometer Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Forest Officers reassured that prey augmentation in the sanctuary is complete and that in-situ breeding of prey species will commence. With the monsoon season concluding, conditions are now favorable for the release of the cheetahs.

Efforts to bolster the prey base at Gandhi Sagar have included the translocation of approximately 1,250 chital deer, with 387 of them placed in cheetah enclosures. Additionally, three predator-proof breeding enclosures have been constructed for ungulate prey, with current populations of 79 chital in one enclosure and 42 in another. Both herds have also produced fawns.

Authorities estimate that six to eight cheetahs could inhabit a 64-square-kilometer area, secured by predator-proof fencing to protect their prey from leopards. The annual prey requirement for these cheetahs is projected to be between 1,500 and 2,000 ungulates. Chinkara and Nilgai are expected to serve as primary prey species, although the report notes a current prey deficit of 1,500 animals in the fenced area. To address this, officials are planning captive breeding programs for chinkara and blackbuck to ensure adequate food supply for the cheetahs.