Bhopal: On International Cheetah Day on Wednesday, two male cheetahs Agni and Vayu were released into an open wild area at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.
Male cheetahs were released in the presence of senior wildlife officials associated with Kuno ensuring that all logistical, safety, and security measures were in place to facilitate the smooth transition of Agni and Vayu into their new environment.
According to Kuno officials, the preparation for releasing cheetahs Agni and Vayu started a few days ago. The Cheetah steering committee, headed by Chairman Rajesh Gopal, visited Kuno on Tuesday to review the final preparations for the release.
Cheetahs Agni and Vayu were chosen for the open wild area because they were fit to adapt to the new environment within Kuno. Officials said cheetahs were released into open wild areas marking the success of India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction project.
The movement of Agni and Vayu will be closely monitored to ensure their safety and their capacity to adapt to a new environment. Officials said that Kuno National Park has been fully prepared to support the cheetahs in their new habitat, with the area secured to protect them from potential threats.
Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed their happiness and congratulated Kuno officials for their relentless efforts in making the ‘cheetah project’ successful.
India’s ambitious ‘project cheetah’ was introduced after 70 years of their extinction from the country. The first batch of eight cheetahs translocated from Namibia, were released at Kuno by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2022.
The second batch of 12 cheetahs was brought from South Africa on February 18, 2023. Ever since cheetahs were released at MP’s Kuno National Park located in the Sheopur district of the Gwalior-Chambal region, apprehensions were raised especially when some adult felines died in suspicious circumstances.
However, Kuno authority and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which is the nodal agency for ‘Project Cheetah’ have maintained that even if 50 per cent of cheetahs survive, the project will be considered a success.
Currently, Kuno has a total of 24 cheetahs – 12 adults (out of 20 brought from Namibia and South Africa) and 12 cubs borne on Indian soil. The survival of 12 cubs out of a total of 19 borne at Kuno in the past two-and-a-half-year is a sign of the success of the ‘Project Cheetah’ in India.
(IANS)
