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End of an Era In Bandhavgarh: Tiger Pujari Killed In Territorial Battle With D1

The iconic male tiger, admired by thousands of tourists and feared by rivals, reportedly died after a fierce clash in the Khitauli range. Bandhavgarh National Park has lost one of its most recognizable and beloved tigers. Pujari (priest in English) , the majestic male who ruled hearts as much as territories , is believed to have died following a violent territorial clash with D1, another dominant male from the Khitauli range. Tourist guides noticed his sun-salutation poses at water bodies and a priest  like calm in the cat, giving him the moniker.  For wildlife lovers and regular visitors to Bandhavgarh, the news marks the end of an unforgettable chapter in the park’s rich tiger history. Several WhatsApp groups of tourists, guides, and wildlife enthusiasts have been flooded with tributes to the iconic tiger. While many stories circulating after Pujari’s death may not fully conform to scientific wildlife interpretations, they reflect the immense popularity of the big cat and t...
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Cheetahs' Flight to India Delayed

Translocation of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to Kuno Palpur national park in Madhya Pradesh has been delayed. Though the government has been highlighting covid19 spread in Africa as the prime reason, India has yet to receive the permission of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna), an international agreement between governments to preserve plants and animals of the planet to ensure that the international trade in their specimens does not threaten their survival. India’s application to bring this spotted at is yet to be cleared by this international organisation. 

India 's Application With CITES Pending 

Cheetah was scheduled to have been transported from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno in November this year. In all 8 cheetahs were scheduled to be translocated from the two places. But India applied “quite late” for the relocation of cheetah leading to delay in the processing of the application. Now this fastest animal on four legs on the planet may take a few more months to reach Kuno, a beautiful national park nestled in Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh. Sources in the Union ministry of Environment and Forest claim that cheetahs may now be brought to India sometime in February or may be later. 


“In fact, the date is yet to be decided”, they said. There are more issues linked with the delay in cheetah's flight to India A high powered India delegation was also scheduled to fly to South Africa where the worst ever riots took place in July. As Indians were also targeted in the violence, the Indian contingent scheduled to travel South Africa had to postpone the visit. Union minister for environment and forest would have headed the group comprising officials of Wildlife Institute of India and those from Madhya Pradesh forest department. There was another reason. Worst ever floods in Sheopur district where Kuno Palpur national park is located, also affected the jungle and the roads around. This has caused delay in the construction of the 500 hectares of the enclosure for the cheetah. As the roads were damaged and bridges were washed away, material required for the construction of the enclosure could not reach Kuno. “There is almost two months delay in this work”, sources in Bhopal claimed. 

 Delay in Lion Project Paves Way for Cheetah

After preparing Kuno for the translocation of Asiatic lions from Gir national park, the centre decided to bring cheetahs to this national park. Gujarat’s insistence of not allowing a pair of lions to Madhya Pradesh was also considered as one of the reasons why Kuno was cleared for cheetah.
It is believed that Gujarat, which considers lions as its pride, would have lost lion-tourism . 


After kuno, this spotted cat might be relocated to some more places in India. A massive vaccination drive for the dogs around the national park was also started. Campaign to create awareness among the villages around the park was also launched. Cheetahs worldwide face a variety of pressures to their existence in the wild, including habitat loss, hunting of their prey base for bush-meat, illegal international trade and conflict with livestock owners. Bushmeat is a phrase for the meat of wild animals, but it most often refers to the remains of animals killed in the forests and savannas of Africa. Globally, this species is considered vulnerable in the IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species, with a declining extant population of less than 7,000 individuals found primarily in the savannahs of Africa. While southern Africa is the cheetah’s regional stronghold, it is considered Critically Endangered in North and West Africa, according to CITES. A small and remnant Asiatic population exists also in Iran, where it is assessed as critically endangered. Cheetah is also the least dangerous big cat. 
 Cover pic: BBC
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Location: FCXM+X4G Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, Barkheda, Madhya Pradesh 473775, India

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