National Park

No mining within 1 km of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries: SC

The Supreme Court has ruled that mining cannot take place within one kilometre of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, extending earlier directions to all protected areas

SC bans mining within 1 km radius of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries

The Supreme Court on Thursday banned mining activities within an area of one km from national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, noting that such activities will be hazardous to the wildlife . A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was considering pleas on issues related to the notification of areas under Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary (SWL) and the Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve (SCR) as a conservation reserve in Jharkhand. "It has been the consistent view of this court that mining activities within one km of the protected area will be hazardous to the wildlife. Though in the case of Goa Foundation, the said directions were issued with respect to the State of Goa, we find that such directions need to be issued on a pan-India basis. "We direct that mining within national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and within an area of one km from boundary of such national park or wildlife sanctuary shall not be permissible," the bench said. The top court al

Evacuations ordered at Grand Canyon, Black Canyon parks amid wildfires

Visitors and staff at two national parks in the U.S. West have been evacuated because of wildfires. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, about 260 miles (418 kilometers) southwest of Denver, closed Thursday morning after lighting sparked blazes on both rims, the park said. The wildfire on the South Rim has burned 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers), with no containment of the perimeter. The park is closed until further notice. The conditions there have been ripe for wildfire with hot temperatures, low humidity, gusty winds and dry vegetation, the park said, adding that weather remained a concern Friday. Firefighters saved the visitor center along the South Rim by removing dry vegetation and coating the building in a layer of protective material, fire officials said. Small aircrafts from Colorado's Division of Fire Prevention and Control dropped retardant from the sky Friday while ground crews tried to contain the burn. The Grand Canyon's North Rim in Arizona also closed

Centre plans revision of eco-sensitive zone guidelines amid concerns

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has called for a review of the guidelines governing Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around protected areas, stressing the need for a more "flexible" and "site-specific" approach that balances conservation goals with local socio-economic "realities". ESZs are buffer areas created around protected forests, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks to protect wildlife and biodiversity from harmful human activities, such as mining, construction and polluting industries. Activities like farming, eco-tourism and the use of renewable energy are usually allowed with restrictions in these areas. Chairing a meeting of the SC-NBWL on June 26, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said, "Strict protection must be ensured for core areas, especially those that are the origin points of tributaries and critical water resources. However, extending a blanket 10-kilometre ESZs to all protected areas, irrespective of local ecological and

Cheetahs Prabhash, Pavak relocated to MP's Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Two South African cheetahs, Prabhash and Pavak, who were translocated to Kuno National Park more than two years ago, found a new home on Sunday when Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released them into the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. These six-year-old male cheetahs, originally brought from South Africa's Waterberg Biosphere Reserve to Kuno National Park in February 2023, arrived at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, which spans Neemuch and Mandsaur districts, after a road journey. CM Yadav released them in the sanctuary at Basigaon Khemla on Sunday evening. Earlier, Yadav highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spearheaded a successful effort to reintroduce cheetahs to Asia in September 2022. "It is our good fortune that the most favourable conditions for the restoration of cheetahs in all of Asia exist in our country, particularly in Madhya Pradesh," he remarked. Earlier in the day, the two cheetahs were transported by road to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, located over 250 kilometr

Man behind PM Modi's Project Cheetah, Vincent Van Der Merwe, found dead

Vincent Van Der Merwe (42) was a 'cheetah expert' from South Africa. He was found dead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Vincent was the expert who advised the Indian government on 'Project Cheetah'

Cheetah reintroduction plan to be expanded to Gujarat, MP's Gandhisagar: PM

After Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, cheetah introduction will be expanded to Banni Grasslands in Gujarat and Gandhisagar Sanctuary of MP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the seventh National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) meeting here on Monday. African cheetahs were reintroduced at Kuno National Park in two batches in September 2022 and February 2023. "The Prime Minister announced that cheetah introduction will be expanded to other areas, including the Gandhisagar sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and Banni Grasslands in Gujarat," a government release stated. The release, however, did not specify details about the number of wild cats to be brought in at both forest areas and the timeline. Banni Grasslands is a 2,500 sq km protected forest in the Kutch district of Gujarat that supports numerous animal genetic resources like Banni buffalo, Kankrej cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and horses. The grassland is a breeding and nesting ground for more than 250 bird species, including

Over two years on, Kuno's cheetahs still play a losing Hunger Game

Vanishing prey and fierce competition from leopards keep cheetahs on edge

Cheetah 'Veera' gives birth to two cubs in MP's Kuno National Park

Cheetah Veera gave birth to two cubs at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district on Tuesday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said. With these births, KNP is now home to 26 cheetahs, including 14 cubs. In a post on X, Yadav said, "Two cheetah cubs enter Madhya Pradesh's Jungle Book. I am happy to share that the number of cheetahs is continuously increasing in the state. Today, female cheetah Veera has given birth to two cubs." He congratulated the officers, doctors and field staff engaged in the cheetah project and said as a result of their tireless work, Madhya Pradesh is also known as the "land of cheetahs". The chief minister said with the increase in the cheetah population in the state, tourism in the state is getting a boost and opening new doors of employment. "We are always ready for conservation, promotion and restoration of all wildlife along with cheetahs," he said. On September 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight Namibian cheetahs five

Seven elephants dead in MP's Bandhavgarh tiger reserve, probe ordered

The deaths may be linked to the elephants' consumption of Kodo millet, however, a post-mortem examination will confirm the exact cause

Female cheetah to soon give birth to cubs at Kuno National Park: CM Yadav

A female cheetah is pregnant and expected to deliver cubs soon at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared the information in a post on social media platform X late Saturday night and said this symbolises a big achievement for the 'Cheetah Project'. On September 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs -- five females and three males -- brought from Namibia into enclosures at the KNP as part of the world's first intercontinental translocation of the big cats, nearly eight decades after the cheetahs were hunted to extinction. In February 2023, another 12 cheetahs were translocated to the national park in MP from South Africa as part of the Indian government's project to reintroduce cheetahs into the country. Yadav in the post on X said, "Happiness is coming to Kuno. A female cheetah is soon going to give birth to new cubs in the Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh, the 'Cheetah State' of the ...

MP's Kuno National Park reopens, but tourists wait to see cheetahs

The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the only home of cheetahs in the country, reopened for tourists on Sunday after being shut for the annual monsoon season. But, the two-year wait of visitors to get a glimpse of the cheetahs is not yet over as the felines have not been released into the wild so far. Nearly eight decades after the cheetahs were hunted to extinction, eight large carnivores were brought from Namibia to the KNP in September 2022 and put in bomas (enclosures) to revive their population in India. Later, 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February 2023 as part of the Indian government's project to reintroduce cheetahs into the country. The park, spread over an area of 1,235 sq km including 487 sq km buffer zone, has reopened and visitors are allowed from 6.30 am to 10 am and from 3 pm to 6 pm, KNP's director Uttam Sharma told PTI on Sunday. He said the park is home to 24 cheetahs, the fastest land animals, including 12 adults brought from Namibia and So

India aims to make interstate cheetah conservation complex within 25 years

India aims to build an inter-state cheetah conservation complex in the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar landscapes across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan within the next 25 years, according to the 2023-24 annual progress report of Project Cheetah. The report, released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority on the completion of two years of Project Cheetah on September 17, said while a new batch of cheetahs was likely to be brought to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary by the end of the year, they would be released into free-ranging conditions over the next five years. According to the "Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in Gandhi Sagar", five to eight cheetahs would be released into a 64-square kilometre predator-proof fenced area in the first phase, with a focus on breeding. "Both these landscapes, along the interstate border of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are adjacent to each other, and the combined landscapes together can constitute the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar cheetah landscape for ...

Centre turned to Reliance's wildlife facility after cheetah deaths in Kuno

After three cheetahs died in just over a month last year in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, the National Tiger Conservation Authority in May 2023 called in experts from Reliance's wildlife facility in Gujarat to review health monitoring protocols, official records show. The National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) Assistant Inspector General of Forests Abhishek Kumar wrote to the CEO of Reliance Industries' Jamnagar-based Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) on May 11, 2023, requesting that a team of experts be sent to Kuno to "review health monitoring protocols" and provide advice to "ensure the welfare of the cheetahs" following the deaths of three spotted felines between March 27 and May 9. Kumar's letter said Project Cheetah was the first intercontinental reintroduction of a wild, large carnivore species with "no comparable historical precedent" and it was not surprising that a project of such a "magnitude and complexity would face many ...

Officials expediting efforts to bring next batch of cheetahs by year-end

India has expedited efforts to bring a new batch of 12-14 cheetahs by the end of the year, with a delegation set to visit South Africa soon for ground-to-ground negotiations, officials said on Tuesday. PTI has learned that negotiations are also ongoing with Kenya, and a memorandum of understanding is being finalized. "We are actively engaging with South Africa on the matter. A delegation will visit the country in late September or early October to hold ground-to-ground negotiations. The next batch of cheetahs could come from either of these two countries," the official said. The 'Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India' talks about bringing around 12-14 cheetahs each year from South Africa, Namibia, and other African countries for five years to establish a founder stock. "We have communicated to South Africa that we want to expedite efforts to bring another batch of cheetahs by the end of the year as per the recommendation of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee and in

Another Namibian male cheetah, Pawan, dies at Kuno National Park in MP

Namibian cheetah, Pawan, died in the wild at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, an official said. The latest cheetah fatality at KNP was reported weeks after a five-month-old cub of African cheetah, Gamini, died on August 5. The male cheetah, Pawan, was found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amidst bushes without any movement at around 10.30 AM on Tuesday, as per a statement issued by the office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (APCCF) and Director of Lion Project, Uttam Sharma. Veterinarians were informed and a closer inspection disclosed that the front half of the cheetah's carcass, including the head, was inside the water. No external injuries were seen anywhere on the body, as per the statement. The preliminary cause of death seems to be drowning. Further details will be provided after the postmortem report is received, it said. With the death of Pawan, KNP is left with 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and as many cubs.

SC asks Centre to consider if mining can be banned in conservation reserves

The Supreme Court asked the Centre on Wednesday to consider whether mining activities could be prohibited in areas that have been declared conservation reserves and community reserves. A bench headed by Justice B R Gavai observed that the basic idea of providing community reserves and conservation reserves was to provide a corridor for free movement of wildlife from one national park or wildlife sanctuary to another. The bench, also comprising Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan, said if conservation reserves and community reserves are to act as corridors, then mining activities in those areas may be detrimental to the movement of wildlife. "However, since the basic idea of providing community reserves and conservation reserves is to provide a corridor for the free movement of wildlife from one national park/wildlife sanctuary ... we request the Union to consider whether at least in the areas which are declared as conservation reserves and community reserves, the mining could be

5-month-old Cheetah cub dies in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park

A five-month-old cub of African cheetah, Gamini, died at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, an official said. The cub's health condition suddenly worsened on Monday morning and emergency treatment was given. But the cub unfortunately died, as per a release issued by the APCCF (Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest) and Director Lion Project. During monitoring on July 29 evening, one of the five cubs of Gamini was seen unable to lift the hind portion of its body. On further observation, the cub was seen dragging the entire hind portion. She was immediately rescued and brought to the hospital. The examination found that the cub's vertebral column was fractured, as per the release. After necessary treatment, the cub was kept under intensive supervision, it said. The cause of death will be known after the autopsy. Gamini, an African Cheetah, had given birth to six cubs in March this year and one of them had died on June 4. The remaining 13 adult cheetah

International Tiger Day: Big cat mortality drops 29% so far in 2024

The year 2023 was the worst for the tiger population, recording the highest number of mortalities in a decade with 178 tigers dying

280% surge in projects in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks in 2023-24

India saw a massive 280 per cent increase in the number of projects recommended in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in 2023-24 as compared to 2022-23, according to the data presented in Parliament on Monday. Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh also informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 957.25 square kilometers or 95,724.99 hectares of forest area has been diverted for non-forestry use under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 over five years starting from April 2019. The minister said that 71 project proposals were approved in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country in 2019-20. The numbers stood at 85 in 2020-21, 154 in 2021-22, 150 in 2022-23, and surged to 421 in 2023-24. Singh also shared that 8,731 requests for forest land diversion were approved between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023, amounting to a total of 95,724.99 hectares of forest area being set aside for non-forestry use. Madhya Pradesh saw the highe