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New cheetah habitat established in Madhya Pradesh reserve

Source:The Hindu ↗

Why It Matters

Crucial for MPPSC aspirants tracking wildlife milestones, national parks, tiger reserves, and environmental projects within Madhya Pradesh.

Summary

Two cheetahs have been released into a new tiger reserve habitat in Madhya Pradesh, marking their third habitat location in the State under the ambitious Project Cheetah. This expansion aims to secure a wider, distributed population of the reintroduced feline species across MP's protected areas.

Key Points

  • Two cheetahs have been released into a new tiger reserve habitat in Madhya Pradesh, marking their third habitat expansion in the State following Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • This initiative is part of the broader Project Cheetah to establish multiple free-ranging populations of cheetahs in India.
  • Madhya Pradesh continues to reinforce its status as the 'Tiger State' and a leading hub for major wildlife reintroduction and conservation initiatives in India.

Important Terms

Project Cheetah

An ambitious inter-continental wildlife reintroduction initiative launched in India to restore the extinct cheetah population, with Madhya Pradesh housing its primary habitats like Kuno and Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve.

UPSC context

Important for MPPSC Paper III (Environment, Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation) and MP Geography (National Parks and Sanctuaries).

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National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

The statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change responsible for overseeing tiger reserves and implementing Project Cheetah across India.

UPSC context

Important for MPPSC Paper III (Environmental Conservation, Statutory Bodies) and national wildlife governance.

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Madhya Pradesh Forest Department

The state government department responsible for the management, protection, and wildlife conservation across Madhya Pradesh's reserved forests, sanctuaries, and tiger reserves.

UPSC context

Important for MPPSC Paper I & III, focusing on state administrative machinery for forest and wildlife management in MP.

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Prelims Trap

Kuno National Park is the only designated habitat for cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh.

Aspirants often assume cheetahs are restricted solely to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh; however, the state has expanded habitats to include Gandhi Sagar and other reserves under Project Cheetah.

Static Concepts Connected

Environment and Wildlife Conservation MP

What are the key provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 relating to National Parks and Sanctuaries?

  • Notification Power: State governments can declare any area as a Sanctuary or National Park by notification under Sections 18 and 35 respectively.
  • Strict Restrictions: National Parks have stricter restrictions than sanctuaries; grazing, private land rights, and commercial activities are largely prohibited.
  • NTCA Statutory Body: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body established under enabling provisions of this Act (amended in 2006).

Cross-Topic Patterns

  • Project Cheetah and Wildlife Protection Act

    Project Cheetah intersects with wildlife corridor mapping and biodiversity legislation under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, frequently tested in MP forest service exams.

  • Tiger State status and NTCA oversight

    Madhya Pradesh's status as the 'Tiger State' links state-level protected area management directly with NTCA protocols and central conservation grants.

Match MP protected areas (Kuno, Gandhi Sagar, Madhav, etc.) with their specific conservation projects in matching-type prelims questions.

Linked PYQs · 1

Linked PYQs · 1

  • 2022MPPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    Which of the following National Parks is the first in India to officially introduce a mascot named "Bhoorsingh the Barasingha"?