MP minister unhappy over cheetahs being shifted in his absence
Two of the eight cheetahs, who recently relocated to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park from Namibia, were moved to a bigger enclosure on Saturday. However, the release had upset state's Minister of Forests, Vijay Shah, as they were released in his absence. As per India Today, the release was scheduled for Sunday in Shah's presence, but officials performed the task on Saturday itself.
Why does this story matter?
- Cheetahs are the world's fastest land animals capable of reaching speeds over 110 kilometers per hour.
- It is considered a vulnerable species under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with less than 7,000 cheetahs remaining in the world — primarily in the African savannas.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released the cheetahs in the national Park to mark his birthday on September 17.
PM Modi delighted
While reacting to the release of the cheetahs to a larger enclosure, PM Modi said that he was pleased to know that all cheetahs are healthy, active and adjusting well. Taking to his official Twitter handle, PM Modi called the development "great news" and added that others would soon be released as well.
PM Modi on Twitter
Great news! Am told that after the mandatory quarantine, 2 cheetahs have been released to a bigger enclosure for further adaptation to the Kuno habitat. Others will be released soon. I’m also glad to know that all cheetahs are healthy, active and adjusting well. 🐆 pic.twitter.com/UeAGcs8YmJ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2022
A big step forward since their arrival
Since arriving from Namibia, all eight cheetahs have lived in a small enclosure inside the national park. The remaining six cheetahs will be released into the big enclosure in the coming days, but in phases. The move to release the cheetahs into the big enclosure was made after scrutinising the facilities and reviewing the enclosure.
Ambitious plans ahead
All eight cheetahs, the first batch of the 50 cheetahs set to be reintroduced in India in the next five years, would form a part of the founder population that will make way for its proliferation. The five female and three male cheetahs were identified after a long process of health checks and their capability to hunt in the wild.
