Two cheetahs released into tiger reserve, their third habitat in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya PradeshChief MinisterMohan Yadav released two cheetahs in the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Sagar district on Wednesday (October 7, 2026), marking the expansion of the cheetah conservation project.

Also read | As Project Cheetah completes 4 years, big cat population in India rises to 52

He said it was a historic day for Madhya Pradesh’s wildlife, adding that the cats have been named Vyom and Neera.

After Kuno National Park in Sheopur district and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur, the tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region will be the third cheetah habitat in M.P.

Officials said the cheetahs were released on the concluding day of ‘Wildlife Conservation Week’. During the event, Mr. Yadav also released the ‘Vulture Population Estimation 2026’ report and the book Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, written in Bundelkhandi.

Villagers rewarded

The CM said in the current year, nearly ₹80 crore was collected from sanctuaries in M.P., of which ₹20 crore was distributed to the residents of surrounding villages. “This is their right, as they have been living around these sanctuaries for years,” he said.

Mr. Yadav said the Government is also facilitating homestay services. Home owners in the buffer zone of Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR) can rent their properties as homestays. Further, the government is also providing these villagers with a grant of ₹2-3 lakh, he said.

Mr. Yadav announced that two more cheetahs would be brought to VDTR next month. These four will increase the number of cats as their families grow, he said.

Highest number of vultures

The CM also spoke about vultures, saying MP has the highest number of these carrion-eating birds.

“Our state also has the highest number of tigers in the entire country. Besides we have released unique species of turtles, Gharials and crocodiles into the Chambal and Narmada rivers,” he said.

Taking a dig at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Yadav said, “Pappu doesn’t understand anything. We are living in such good times. The world is looking at India with hope, but those who have lost power are doing whatever they want in their pursuit of it.”

Revival of species

“Madhya Pradesh has become an excellent example of the revival of a species that had become extinct in Asia. The cheetah population has grown from eight to 60. This will strengthen the ecosystem and tourism will develop. Tigers already exist here,” he added.

The VDTR, also known as the Nauradehi Tiger Reserve, is Madhya Pradesh’s largest tiger habitat, spanning about 2,339 square kilometres across Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts.

Established in 1997, the area was designated a tiger reserve on September 20, 2023, after being integrated with the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, officials said.

The area is home to diverse wildlife species, including tigers, leopards, chital, sambar, nilgai and bears, and is also important for conservation of endangered Indian vulture species, they said.

Special arrangements have been made over approximately 439 hectares for the cheetahs. A secure habitat equipped with modern enclosures (bomas) and other facilities has been created.

According to officials, the presence of cheetahs will boost wildlife tourism in Sagar and Bundelkhand, creating new employment opportunities and boosting the local economy.