Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary
Why in news?
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve at Nauradehi in Sagar district will become the state's third cheetah habitat before the next monsoon.
Location and Size
- Nauradehi spans 1,197 km² across Sagar, Damoh, and Narsinghpur districts in central Madhya Pradesh.
- It sits on the upper Vindhyan plateau within the Deccan Peninsula biogeographic region.​
Establishment
- Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1975, it ranks as Madhya Pradesh's largest. Recent developments include tiger reintroduction since 2018 and selection as India's third cheetah site.​
Ecological Role
- It forms a key corridor linking Panna Tiger Reserve and Satpura Tiger Reserve, with indirect ties to Bandhavgarh via Rani Durgavati Sanctuary.
- The area straddles Ganga (Yamuna basin, three-fourths) and Narmada basins, with rivers like Kopra, Bamner, and Bearma.​
Flora and Fauna
- Dominant tropical dry deciduous forests feature teak alongside saja, dhaora, mahua, and tendu.
- Fauna includes tigers (now around 25), Indian wolf (keystone species), leopards, sloth bears, nilgai, chinkara, sambar, blackbuck, over 170 bird species, and mugger crocodiles.​
Significance
- Known for wolf conservation originally, it supports cheetah reintroduction in a predator-rich landscape and holds potential for over 70 cheetahs post-relocation efforts.​
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