MP plans cheetah safari to boost Kuno tourism

The state has sent a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority and the National Tiger Conservation Authority

Updated on: Aug 26, 2023, 24:53:19 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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The Madhya Pradesh government is planning a cheetah safari in the Saisaipura area of the Kuno National Park (KNP) to boost tourism and generate revenue, a forest official aware of the matter said on Friday.

The state has sent a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for approval, said the official. “A proposal has been sent to attract tourists and for the economic development of Saisaipura area. It will be developed in 150 hectares,” KNP director Uttam Kumar Sharma said.

“The safari will have cheetahs who cannot survive in the wild and can be easily sighted by people,” said a senior officer of the MP forest department.

So far, six adult cheetahs have died in Kuno since the translocation of 20 big cats to India in two batches from Namibia and South Africa in September last year and February 2023, respectively. Besides, three of the four cubs born in India have also died.

The officer said that since it is difficult for tourists to see cheetahs at Kuno, we decided to start a safari. The safari will have two female cheetahs from Namibia, the officer added.

He said that the safari will also be a breeding centre to increase the cheetah population, as mating between wild cheetahs is an issue of concern.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More