Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Cheetahs Enter Tiger Territory as Project Expands Beyond Kuno
India has moved two cheetahs from Kuno National Park to a new home at Durgavati reserve.
This is the third place in India where the project is establishing cheetahs.
The new area is different because it has more than 20 tigers, as well as wolves.
Officials say cheetahs at Kuno have already encountered predators and learned to retreat safely.
They believe this experience will help them manage in the new landscape.
The project began by bringing African cheetahs to India and releasing them at Kuno.
Another four cheetahs were later released at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
India now has 60 cheetahs, and 41 were born there.
Two cheetahs, one female and one male, were moved from Kuno National Park to Durgavati reserve on October 7.
Durgavati is the third site in Project Cheetah and its first site with a substantial tiger population.
A senior forest officer said experience with predator encounters at Kuno gave authorities confidence to establish cheetahs in a tiger landscape.
The project began with 20 African cheetahs released at Kuno in two phases; Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary later became its second site.
India’s cheetah population has reached 60, including 41 born in the country.
- Who
- Two translocated cheetahs, one female and one male, and the Project Cheetah authorities.
- What
- The cheetahs were shifted from Kuno National Park to Durgavati reserve, the project's third cheetah site.
- When
- October 7; the article does not specify the year.
- Where
- From Kuno National Park to Durgavati reserve in Madhya Pradesh, India.
- Why
- To establish cheetahs at a new Central Indian site and build experience managing them in a landscape with tigers and wolves.
- New site
- Durgavati reserve, identified as the third cheetah site
- Transfer
- Two cheetahs—one female and one male—moved from Kuno on October 7
- Tiger population
- More than 20 tigers in the Durgavati landscape, according to the article
- Project launch
- 20 translocated African cheetahs were released at Kuno in two phases
- Second site
- Four cheetahs—two females and two males—were released at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Current population
- 60 cheetahs, including 41 born in India
- Predators mentioned
- Tigers, leopards and wolves