Kutch: With the aim of developing a strong prey base before cheetahs are introduced to the Banni grasslands, around 500 blackbucks from Velavadar National Park and the Bhal region in Bhavnagar district will be relocated to Banni.

The Centre has approved the translocation as part of preparations for the proposed cheetah project in Kutch. Forest officials said the current prey population in Banni is not sufficient to sustain large predators. To address this, species such as chital and sambar have already been introduced, and efforts are now focused on increasing the population of blackbucks, a preferred prey species of cheetahs.

The Central and Gujarat governments are jointly developing India’s first captive breeding and conservation centre for cheetahs in the Banni grasslands.

Dheeraj Mittal, Conservator of Forests, Kutch Circle, said approval has been received from the Centre for the relocation. He noted that many blackbucks in Bhavnagar live outside protected areas and are increasingly affected by human activities. Relocating them to Banni would not only provide a safer habitat for the animals but also help strengthen the ecosystem being developed for cheetahs.

It is leant that, the first group of three cheetahs is expected to arrive in Banni during the monsoon season. The big cats are currently undergoing quarantine and isolation procedures at a dedicated facility in Kuno National Park.  DeshGujarat