Madhya Pradesh seeks approval for cheetah-tiger coexistence at VDTR
Big news for wildlife fans: Madhya Pradesh is planning to move cheetahs into the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR), making it a first attempt at cheetah-tiger co-existence in India's wilds.
The plan still needs a final green light from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
VDTR already has 30 tigers and will join Kuno and Gandhi Sagar as Madhya Pradesh's third cheetah site.
VDTR builds 439 hectare cheetah enclosures
To help cheetahs settle in, VDTR is setting up special enclosures across 439 hectares.
Out of 60 cheetahs in the state, some will be relocated here, though experts like former Wildlife Institute dean YV Jhala admit there may be a few early challenges before they adapt.
Interestingly, history shows that cheetahs, tigers, and leopards have shared this space before without much drama, mostly because they prefer different prey and habitats.
This move is part of Project Cheetah's push to help these speedy cats thrive in more places.