Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, on the occasion of his birthday, will release a dozen turtles into the Bamner River at the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve on Wednesday, March 25. CM Dr. Mohan Yadav will also perform the groundbreaking ceremony for a soft-release boma to facilitate the rehabilitation of cheetahs in the tiger reserve.
The Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is the largest tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Spanning 2,339 square kilometres, it connects 72 villages across the districts of Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur. It is the 7th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh and the 54th in India, and was declared a tiger reserve in 2023. At present, the reserve is home to 32 tigers. The sanctuary is also known as the land of wolves, as it is home to one of the highest populations of wolves.
The tiger reserve has terrain suitable for cheetahs, similar to landscapes found in South Africa. Cheetahs will soon be brought here from Kuno National Park for rehabilitation. The sanctuary is also home to around 240 species of birds, which are a major attraction.
A wide variety of wildlife can be found in the tiger reserve, including tigers, leopards, wolves, bears, jackals, hyenas, foxes, wild boars, nilgai, four-horned antelope (chousingha), blackbuck, chinkara, turtles and crocodiles. Along with wildlife conservation, the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve offers significant potential for tourism and employment generation in the region.
