Grasslands Banni - Latest News Update, Information, Photos & Videos on Grasslands Banni at Lokmat Times

After Kuno, some of the next batches of cheetahs are now being brought in from Africa to the vast grassland in the northern part of Kutch in Gujarat. Banni Grasslands has been identified as one of the potential sites for cheetah relocation. Under Project Cheetah the big cats will be relocating to a cheetah-breeding and conservation centre being built in Rann of Kutch’s sprawling grasslands of Banni. The Gujarat government is setting up suitable enclosures in Banni, where cheetahs can be bred. In Banni Grasslands, 8-10 male and 8-10 female cheetas will be relocated.Dr. Sandeep Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forest Kutch Circle in an interview with Lokmat representative Dr. Anubha Jain, said that Banni is one of the important grasslands with potential areas for cheetah relocation. 2019 onwards the Gujarat Government’s Forest department is giving more prominence to this grassland. For this 14000-hectare area has been treated which was occupied with weeds and hence, considered with low productivity. Weeds with prosopis have been removed and grass has been grown in this fenced area. He said that after Kuno, Banni has been identified as the second cheetah relocation centre where all sorts of developments in infrastructure are taking place. Enclosure in a small area of 600 hectares is being built where a cheetah breeding program and habitat improvement will be initiated. Similarly, hospitals and quarantine centres are being constructed. This 600-hectare area has been selected for cheetah relocation as in earlier times cheetah was distributed in this natural area. Also, a suitable climate with good plants is there for cheetahs’ development here. In addition to that for the improvements in prey density Chinkara breeding centre has already been formed. Preys like Chinkara, cheetal, and black bucks are being released there. The big cats will be initially released in the enclosure, not in the wild of Banni grasslands.Mostly Maldhari cattle herders and dairy farmers have traditionally used the Banni grasslands as the open grazing ground for their cattle, i.e., Banni or ‘Kachchi’ buffalo. There are 48 villages in the area with about 1.5 lakh heads of cattle of different ages yielding about 1.5 lakh litres of milk daily. When asked by Dr. Anubha Jain that Maldhari and their livelihoods were threatened by this step of the government and the Banni Breeders Association (BAA), a union comprising breeders from all Banni villagers, has embarked on an agitation, fearing that their common grazing lands will gradually be taken. On this, Dr. Sandeep said that there were some concerns with the villagers but it has been sorted out. We clarified to the villagers that the animals will not be released in the entire 2.5 lakh hectare wild area but merely in the 600-hectare area. Also, the nearest village is 8 km. away or far from the enclosure. We clarified to them that these big cats would not roar like lions and wouldn’t be distressful to them or their cattle. Villagers are supportive now, he added.

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Grasslands banni, Latest News

National :After Kuno, Now the Big Cats Will Be Relocating to a Cheetah-Breeding and Conservation Centre in Kutch’s Sprawling Grasslands Banni

After Kuno, some of the next batches of cheetahs are now being brought in from Africa to the ... ...