A cheetah from Madhya Pradesh has crossed the Chambal river into Rajasthan and, after skirting Ranthambore National Park, is moving back towards Karauli district, in a journey officials say underlines how the Chambal landscape works as a natural wildlife corridor between the two states.

Source: The Times of India

The cheetah, identified as KOMG4, entered Rajasthan on November 10 after crossing the Chambal near Gota Ghat. It was later tracked in the Kanarda area under Maharajpura Naka of the Karanpur range, The Times of India reported.

Source: The Times of India

The crossing was also reported independently by the Press Trust of India (PTI) on November 11, which reported that a cheetah from Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park had crossed the Chambal and entered Rajasthan's Karauli district.

Ranthambore Divisional Forest Officer Manas Singh said the animal has since crossed the Ranthambore boundary and returned towards Karauli. “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,” he said.

Source: The Times of India

The cheetah is being continuously monitored by teams of the Rajasthan forest department and the Madhya Pradesh cheetah tracking team to ensure its safety. An official said the animal had entered the state boundary three days earlier and that Rajasthan forest teams were also deployed to assist the Madhya Pradesh teams.

Source: The Times of India

Why the crossing matters

Experts said KOMG4's repeated movement across the river highlights the ecological importance of the Chambal belt, not just as a river system but as a wildlife passage linking habitats across state boundaries, and noted that tigers, too, are known to swim across the river.

Source: The Times of India

The movement comes as India's cheetah reintroduction programme expands beyond its release sites and individual animals begin exploring wider landscapes. For conservation managers, officials said, KOMG4's route points to the need for coordinated inter-state monitoring, safe corridors and quick field response across forest divisions.

What happens next

Joint Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh teams are continuing to track the cheetah as it moves through the Karauli landscape. No capture or relocation has been announced, and officials have not reported any conflict involving the animal during this movement.