Synopsis
On February 5, five adult cheetahs will be released into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, marking a significant step in wildlife conservation efforts. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will oversee the event, which aims to boost local tourism and employment through the growing cheetah population.Key Takeaways
- Release of five adult cheetahs into KNP
- Event attended by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav
- Second release of cheetahs at Kuno
- Seven out of twelve adult cheetahs now free
- Project Cheetah aims at wildlife restoration
Bhopal, Feb 5 (NationPress) Five additional adult cheetahs are set to be released into the wild at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.
The release event will be graced by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, organized by the state Forest Department at KNP in Sheopur.
Kuno officials stated that the preparations for the cheetah release have been meticulously overseen by a steering committee along with senior forest officials.
This marks the second occasion where cheetahs will be released into an open boma (enclosure) at KNP.
On Tuesday, a five-year-old South African cheetah named Veera gave birth to two healthy cubs.
With this release, seven out of twelve adult cheetahs will now roam free within KNP.
Previously, on December 4, 2024, two male cheetahs, Vayu and Agni, were released into the wild.
The Chief Minister noted that the expanding cheetah population is likely to benefit the state's tourism sector.
He stated, "With the rise in cheetah numbers, tourism in Madhya Pradesh is experiencing growth and creating new employment opportunities. We remain dedicated to the conservation, promotion, and restoration of wildlife," added Chief Minister Yadav.
It’s important to mention that India’s ambitious 'Project Cheetah' was initiated after a 70-year absence of these animals from the country.
On September 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the first batch of eight cheetahs, translocated from Namibia, into Kuno.
The second batch of twelve cheetahs arrived from South Africa on February 18, 2023.
Reports indicate that the third batch of eighteen cheetahs, scheduled for relocation from South Africa to Madhya Pradesh in February 2025, may be delayed as authorities await quarterly progress reports on the cheetahs.
The new group of cheetahs is anticipated to be relocated to Kuno National Park in Sheopur and Gandhi Sagar in Mandsaur.
