Bhopal/Sheopur: In a significant step towards wildlife conservation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday visited Kuno National Park in Sheopur district and personally released baby gharials and endangered turtles into the Una river.
The Chief Minister released 53 young gharials — 28 males and 25 females — reared at the Deori Gharial Centre. These hatchlings, nurtured for over two years, were carefully reintroduced into their natural habitat to boost the population and restore ecological balance in the river system.
Alongside the gharials, 25 baby three-striped roofed turtles, an endangered species found in parts of the country, were also released into the river.
The event highlights Madhya Pradesh’s efforts in reptile conservation, building on initiatives such as the cheetah reintroduction at nearby Palpur-Kuno, known for India’s first cheetah translocation project.
“This hands-on release not only gives these ancient river dwellers a fresh start but also sends a strong message about sustainable conservation, community involvement and our resolve to make Madhya Pradesh a model for protecting endangered species,” Chief Minister Yadav said.
“These ancient creatures, remnants from the dinosaur era, play a vital role in river ecosystems by helping maintain cleanliness and ecological balance,” he added.
Referring to the Una tributary of the Chambal, the Chief Minister said, “We recently achieved a significant milestone by releasing 53 gharial hatchlings into their natural habitat. These young ones, around two-and-a-half years old, were carefully hatched from eggs in a controlled environment, nurtured and then reintroduced to revive the ecosystem. This effort not only revives the population but also creates a wonderful experience for tourists while contributing immensely to environmental conservation.”
He said gharials and muggers coexist with river ecosystems and are symbols of ancient biodiversity that have survived for thousands of years.
“Alongside them, we have also released three-striped roofed turtles, another rare species in the country, into clean, free-flowing waters to help repopulate riverine areas,” he said.
Highlighting conservation efforts in the region, Yadav described the Palpur-Kuno area in the Chambal landscape as rich in natural resources and supportive of rural livelihoods amid pristine surroundings.
“Recently, we released eight more cheetahs transported by the Air Force into the forest. This has boosted confidence in our conservation efforts. Cheetah reintroduction was a global challenge, but our climate, environment, dedicated staff and supportive local communities have embraced them,” he said.
“Of the initial 20 cheetahs brought in, 12 survived, and through natural breeding the population has grown from 12 to 38. With the latest release of nine more, it now stands at 48,” he added.
(IANS)
