Cheetah in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

Why in news?

The Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is set to become India's next cheetah sanctuary after Kuno.

• Currently, there are two recognized subspecies of cheetah - Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) and African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus).
• Asiatic cheetahs are found only in Iran.
• The size and ability of African cheetah is more than that of Asiatic cheetah.
• The African cheetah is the fastest animal on earth.
• It is naturally found in the lowlands of East and South Africa (Savanna grasslands, Kalahari desert, etc.) 
• Cheetah is protected under Appendix-I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Wildlife and Flora Species (CITIES).
• Its international trade for commercial use is prohibited.
• African cheetah is notified as Vulnerable and Asiatic cheetah as Critically Endangered in the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in north-western Madhya Pradesh (Mandsaur and Neemuch districts) near the border of Rajasthan.
•  It was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1974.
• Chambal River flows through Gandhisagar Sanctuary and divides it into two parts. 
• Khair, Salai, Kardhaai, Dhavda, Tendu and Palash etc. are the major tree species found here.
• Animals like chinkara, nilgai and spotted deer, leopard, striped hyena and jackal are found in this wildlife sanctuary.
• Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary has many places of historical, archeological and religious importance like - Chaurasigarh, Chaturbhujnath Temple, Bhadkaji Rock Painting, Narsinghjhar Hinglajgarh Fort, Karkeshwar Temple.