Jaipur: A cheetah from Madhya Pradesh has crossed into Rajasthan and moved back towards Karauli after skirting Ranthambore National Park, turning its journey into a fresh reminder of how wildlife is using the Chambal landscape as a natural corridor between the two states.The cheetah, identified as KOMG4, entered Rajasthan on Nov 10 after crossing Chambal river near Gota Ghat. It was later tracked in the Kanarda area under Maharajpura Naka of Karanpur range.Officials said the animal has now crossed the Ranthambore boundary and returned towards Karauli district, continuing its movement across the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh landscape.Ranthambore DFO Manas Singh said, “KOMG4 has now crossed the Ranthambore boundary and moved back towards Karauli. The cheetah appears to be using relatively shallow and rocky stretches of the Chambal to cross the river.”The animal is being continuously monitored by teams of the Rajasthan forest department and the Madhya Pradesh cheetah tracking team to ensure its safety. “The cheetah entered the state boundary three days ago and teams from Raj forest are also deployed to assist the MP teams,” an official said.Experts said the repeated movement of KOMG4 across the river underlines the ecological importance of the Chambal belt, not just as a river system but as a wildlife passage linking habitats across state boundaries. “Its repeated movement across the river highlights the importance of the Chambal landscape as a natural corridor for wildlife movement between the two states. Tigers, too, are known to swim across the river,” an expert said.The movement is significant as India’s cheetah reintroduction programme expands beyond release sites and individual animals begin exploring wider landscapes. For conservation managers, KOMG4’s route points to the need for coordinated interstate monitoring, safe corridors and quick field response across forest divisions.
