Veerangana Durgavati Reserve: Madhya Pradesh Third Cheetah Habitat
Source:awazthevoice ↗
Why It Matters
Crucial for MPPSC aspirants tracking major wildlife conservation milestones, protected areas, and species reintroduction programs within Madhya Pradesh.
Summary
Madhya Pradesh is developing the Veerangana Durgavati Reserve as its third cheetah habitat, expanding India's Project Cheetah scope alongside Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
Key Points
- Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is set to become the third habitat for cheetahs in India, following Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
- The move is part of the ongoing Project Cheetah initiative to establish self-sustaining wild populations of cheetahs in India.
- Veerangana Durgavati spreads across districts like Damoh, Sagar, and Narsinghpur, providing ideal forest and grassland ecosystems for wildlife reintroduction.
Important Terms
Project Cheetah
India's intercontinental wildlife reintroduction initiative launched in 2022 to restore extinct cheetah populations using African cheetahs across designated habitats in Madhya Pradesh like Kuno, Gandhi Sagar, and Veerangana Durgavati.
UPSC context
Important for MPPSC Paper III (Environment, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation) and national wildlife current affairs.
Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve
A protected forest spanning Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts of Madhya Pradesh, designated as a tiger reserve in 2023 and developed as the third official cheetah habitat.
UPSC context
Essential for MPPSC Paper I & III (Geography and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Madhya Pradesh).
Kuno National Park
A prominent national park situated in the Sheopur and Morena districts of Madhya Pradesh, serving as the primary pioneering site for India's Project Cheetah reintroduction.
UPSC context
Crucial for MPPSC Paper I (Geographical locations and protected areas in Madhya Pradesh) and Paper III (Biodiversity).
Prelims Trap
Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is exclusively a tiger sanctuary and does not host intercontinental carnivore translocations like Project Cheetah.
Aspirants often confuse Gandhi Sagar and Veerangana Durgavati as tiger-only reserves or mix up their exact district jurisdictions in the Malwa and Bundelkhand regions.
Static Concepts Connected
What are the designated cheetah habitats and tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh under central conservation schemes?
- Kuno Habitat: Kuno National Park located in Sheopur and Morena districts was the first recipient site for African cheetahs under Project Cheetah.
- Veerangana Durgavati: Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve spans Damoh, Sagar, and Narsinghpur districts, newly designated as the third cheetah habitat.
- Gandhi Sagar: Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is situated in Mandsaur and Neemuch districts near the Rajasthan border, serving as the second habitat.
Cross-Topic Patterns
Project Cheetah and MP Wildlife Geography
Project Cheetah's reliance on African habitats highlights how MP's biogeography (Bundelkhand and Malwa) is being leveraged for international wildlife diplomacy and ecological restoration.
Wildlife Corridors and District Reorganization in MP
The inclusion of Damoh, Sagar, and Narsinghpur links wildlife corridors with regional development planning under Madhya Pradesh's forest conservation policies.
Expect match-the-following or statement-based questions pairing MP's cheetah reserves (Kuno, Gandhi Sagar, Veerangana Durgavati) with districts.
Linked PYQs · 2
Linked PYQs · 2
- 2022MPPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Which of the following National Parks is the first in India to officially introduce a mascot named "Bhoorsingh the Barasingha"?
- 2018MPPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Name the State Bird of Madhya Pradesh
