Bhopal, May 11 -- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday released two female cheetahs brought from Botswana into the wild at Kuno National Park after completion of their quarantine period.
"Today, two female cheetahs brought from Botswana were released in Palpur-Kuno National Park, Sheopur. The total number of cheetahs in India has now reached 57, including 37 born in India, marking an important milestone for Project Cheetah and wildlife conservation," Yadav said.
Calling it a matter of pride for Madhya Pradesh, the Chief Minister said Kuno National Park was emerging as a key centre for biodiversity conservation under Project Cheetah. In a post on X, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav for steering the ambitious conservation initiative.
Project Cheetah aims to restore the endangered species in India, increase its population and eventually prepare the animals for free-ranging survival and hunting in the wild.
Nine cheetahs - six females and three males - were brought from Botswana to Kuno in February this year and kept in smaller enclosures to help them adapt to local conditions. The release marks the third major international phase of Project Cheetah. The project was launched by PM Modi on September 17, 2022, with the release of eight cheetahs brought from Namibia, followed by the arrival of 12 cheetahs from South Africa in 2023.
Officials said the two female cheetahs from the Botswana batch were released into the open forest area near the Kuno river system. After releasing the animals, the Chief Minister toured the national park.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.