In a move to boost the dwindling population of cheetahs in India, five more of these magnificent big cats are set to be released into the wilds of the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The announcement was made by the state forest department on Monday, May 9th, 2023.
Kuno National Park has been identified as a potential site for the reintroduction of cheetahs in India after the last of these big cats were believed to have gone extinct in the country in the 1950s. The park, located in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh, has been identified as an ideal habitat for the cheetahs, which need vast grasslands to hunt and thrive.
The five cheetahs are set to be translocated from Namibia in Africa and will be the second group of cheetahs to be brought to India for reintroduction purposes. The first group of cheetahs was brought to the country in 2021 and was released into Kuno National Park in November of that year.
The reintroduction of cheetahs in India is part of the country’s conservation efforts to protect and preserve endangered species. Cheetahs were once abundant in India, but their numbers began to decline rapidly in the early 20th century due to hunting and habitat loss.
The state forest department has taken several measures to ensure the safety of the cheetahs in their new habitat, including increasing the number of forest rangers in the area and setting up monitoring systems to track their movements.
The reintroduction of the cheetahs is expected to have a positive impact on the ecosystem of Kuno National Park, as they are apex predators that play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the food chain. It is hoped that the reintroduction of these magnificent big cats will also boost eco-tourism in the region and provide employment opportunities for local communities.
The translocation of the five cheetahs is expected to take place in the coming months, and the forest department has urged the public to cooperate with the authorities and not to disturb the animals once they are released into the wild. The release of the five cheetahs is a significant step towards the conservation of these endangered big cats and is a cause for celebration for wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists alike.
