Cheetahs To Be Released Into the wild At Kuno
Context:
The Union Environment Ministry announced on Monday that three female and two male cheetahs will be released from acclimatisation camps to “free-roaming conditions at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh before the start of the monsoon in June.”
Points to Ponder:
- To create a self-sustaining wild cat population in India, the Indian government is reintroducing cheetahs into the wild.
- Since September 2022, 20 cheetahs have been imported as part of the programme from Namibia and South Africa.
- Before the start of the monsoon in June, three female and two male cheetahs will be released into a free-roaming environment in the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.
- To help the animals adjust to life in India, they have been kept in unique enclosures.
- Four cheetahs have already been released into the wild, with one of them having to be tranquillized and brought back to the sanctuary after wandering onto farmland in Uttar Pradesh.
- Since each cheetah has a radio collar, the movement of each animal is being tracked by Madhya Pradesh State wildlife officers.
- Up until the programme establishes a self-sustaining population of cheetahs in about ten years, more African animals will be gathered.
- The remaining cheetahs will remain in the acclimatisation camps from June until September, which is the monsoon season.
- More animals will be scheduled release into the KNP or neighbouring regions when the monsoon season in September finishes at the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
- The cheetahs will be permitted to leave the KNP and will only be apprehended if they leave the KNP and enter dangerous areas.
- Independent experts have expressed worries about the national park’s area restrictions and restricted access to prey, while programme speialists have said that the space is suitable for 21 cheetahs, and there are currently 18 in the park.
Similar Topics:
Cheetah Reintroduction in India
African Cheetahs may arrive on Modi’s birthday
