A behind-the-scenes contest is underway among several wildlife sanctuaries vying to become the next home for cheetahs from Kuno National Park. The contenders include Madhya Pradesh's Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur and Neemuch, the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR) spanning Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur districts, and Gujarat's Banni grasslands in Kutch. However, Gandhi Sagar appears to have an urgent pitch.
With no cubs born yet and murmurs over whether the resident female cheetah is struggling to breed, sanctuary authorities have sought another female companion for the existing male coalition, hoping it could help kickstart population growth. A Gandhi Sagar officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "We recently had discussions with higher authorities and raised the demand for another female cheetah looking at the current scenario. Since cubs are yet to be born, an additional female could improve breeding prospects here."
Located along the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border, Gandhi Sagar sanctuary has emerged as India's second major cheetah landscape after Kuno. The sanctuary currently houses Prabhas and Pawak, two six-year-old male cheetahs shifted from Kuno in April 2025, and Dheera, a 7.5-year-old female brought in September 2025.
Wildlife circles have seen speculation over whether Dheera had been mating with the two males, but officers dismissed such concerns, saying ultrasounds had confirmed pregnancy, indicating successful mating. Despite signs of gestation, however, Dheera failed to deliver, leaving wildlife managers puzzled. Project Cheetah director Uttam Sharma dismissed speculation around breeding problems, stating, "Dheera was the only cheetah with a record of breeding when she was brought to India."
While Gandhi Sagar is seeking reinforcements, Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR) is preparing for cheetahs at what officials describe as a war footing. The reserve has intensified preparations on both ecological and social fronts before the animals arrive. DFO Rajnish Singh said VDTR officials are organising 'cheetah chaupals' to connect with villagers. "There are generations who have never seen cheetahs. We are preparing them by distributing informative pamphlets, cheetah masks and specially designed cheetah pencils to children while explaining the animal's behaviour so people understand how to coexist with them," Singh said.
Gujarat's Banni grasslands in Kutch district, a vast open grassland ecosystem near the India-Pakistan border, are also mounting a strong case and could become the first cheetah landscape outside Madhya Pradesh. A special Project Cheetah team recently assessed prey density, habitat suitability, enclosure readiness and human-wildlife interface there. Sources said recommendations are largely favourable to Gujarat, which had sought cheetahs months ago. Insiders said three cheetahs, two females and one male from Kuno's Botswana batch, are among likely candidates if approval comes through.
Behind the scenes, there are also murmurs within wildlife circles that some officials associated with Kuno may be reluctant to quickly disperse cheetahs to other landscapes as the park remains the flagship centrepiece of India's ambitious reintroduction programme, say sources. However, officers maintained that decisions are being guided solely by scientific readiness and habitat preparedness. Officials at Kuno, however, said no final decision has been taken. "Things will happen only after the monsoon," a Kuno officer said, requesting anonymity.
