Madhya Pradesh Begins Wildlife Exchange With Focus On Tigers, Rhinos

Bhopal: Tigers from Madhya Pradesh will soon establish new territories in Odisha, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, as the state government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority have approved an interstate animal exchange programme.

During the 30th meeting of the State Wildlife Board on Friday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav gave the go-ahead to donate three pairs of tigers from the Bandhavgarh, Pench and Kanha Tiger Reserves to the three states.

Speaking after the meeting, Yadav said the animal exchange initiative would also bring endemic wildlife from the receiving states into Madhya Pradesh. “The states receiving tigers should also give endemic wildlife to our state. Efforts should also be made to acquire rhinoceroses, specifically one-horned rhinos, from Assam,” he said.

The Wildlife Board member, Alok Kumar, said the state was also exploring the possibility of expanding its conservation efforts. "Another conservation reserve could be established within the boundaries of the Panna and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves," he said.

Similarly, there is the potential to establish a separate conservation reserve within the boundaries of the Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves, encompassing the Sonwani Forest Range of Balaghat district, he said. "If a serious decision is taken on this matter, it will be a major step towards wildlife conservation in the state,” Kumar said.

The chief minister has also directed officials to prepare for the release of aquatic species such as crocodiles, turtles, gharials and dolphins into the state’s rivers.

“As part of a broader promotional strategy, there is a need for proper branding and showcasing the state’s biodiversity,” he said. “Our strengths must be showcased to the world.”

Yadav also proposed plans to work with the Indian Film Division, the Discovery Channel, and other media outlets to produce short films and documentaries highlighting Madhya Pradesh’s forest and wildlife assets.

Several land use proposals were also approved at the meeting, including approval for the use of 17.148 hectares of forest land in the Satpura-Melghat corridor in Khandwa and Betul districts by NHAI Khandwa, transfer of 0.85 hectares of sanctuary forest land for a concrete road from Dehgaon-Bamhori to Belgaon within Singhori Sanctuary and allocation of 1.575 hectares of buffer zone land from the Padmashree Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar Tiger Reserve (Ratapani Sanctuary) to EE PWD Raisen.

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