Ahmedabad, May 20 -- Gujarat is preparing to receive five to six cheetahs from Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park in the first phase of a proposed relocation to the Banni grasslands in Kutch, with the move awaiting final approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Officials said habitat assessments, veterinary infrastructure and soft-release enclosures are being readied as part of efforts to expand India's cheetah reintroduction programme beyond Kuno.

"Most of the ecosystem in Kutch for introducing cheetahs is in place, with some final work remaining. While a fixed timeline cannot be given, we expect their arrival soon. The final decision will be taken by the NTCA, and preparations are underway at our end," Gujarat ...