The behaviour of cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park, Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh is normal and they are completely healthy. The work of monitoring the cheetahs is being done 24 hours by the experts. Project Cheetah is proving successful. Four cubs have also been born.
Local residents including Cheetah Mitras are also benefiting financially from wildlife tourism. The state-wise tiger population figures are likely to come by July 2023. A three-day international seminar on wildlife conservation and management will be held at Kanha Tiger Reserve from April 27 to 29, in which many subject experts will participate.
This information was given in the meeting of Madhya Pradesh State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Mantralaya meeting hall on Friday.
Chouhan said that good work is being done in the field of wildlife conservation in the state. Board members including Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, MLA Sanjay Shah, Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, Additional Chief Secretary Forest J.N. Kansotiya and senior administrative and departmental officers were present.
Issues related to Cheetah Project in Kuno Palpur, restoration of tigers in Madhav National Park and establishment of Barasingha in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve were discussed in the meeting. Necessary approvals were also given by the board for various construction works in various sectors including traffic, communication, energy and drinking water.
It was informed that initiative has been taken to establish a ropeway at Pachmarhi in Narmadapuram district till Chauragarh, the main pilgrimage site of Satpura region. Chief Minister Chouhan instructed to take necessary steps on this subject after considering the relevant points. Discussion was held on filling up the posts of mahouts and making necessary provisions to encourage them considering them skilled and educated even without school education.
In the information related to the All India Tiger Census, it was told that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released the All India Tiger Co-Predator Census Estimate 2022 in Mysore, Karnataka on 9th April. According to this, the maximum increase in the number of tigers has been revealed in the Central India region. This is also a clear indication that there has been an increase in the number of tigers in Madhya Pradesh. The state-wise tiger population data is expected to be formally released in July 2023.
It was informed that management and effectiveness of all the tiger reserves of the country are evaluated in an interval of 4 years. The Government of India gets this evaluation done by subject experts. Tiger Reserves of Madhya Pradesh are included in better categories. According to the evaluation report of the year 2022, 2 tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh Kanha and Satpura have been placed in excellent category, Pench, Bandhavgarh and Panna Tiger Reserves in very good category and Sanjay Tiger Reserve in good category. The proposals for the formation of Burhanpur, Harda and Omkareshwar sanctuaries were also discussed in the meeting. The details of the decisions taken in the last meeting of the Board and their implementation were given.
