In a significant stride for India's ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday released three cheetahs into the wild expanses of Kuno National Park (KNP). The released animals include a female named Veera and her two 10-month-old cubs. The event was timed to coincide with International Cheetah Day, highlighting global efforts to conserve the world's fastest land animal.
A Milestone Release in Parond Forest Zone
The release ceremony was conducted in the Parond forest zone, a region identified as a key area for tourism within the national park. Following the release, Chief Minister Yadav expressed optimism about the project's trajectory, stating that India's cheetah reintroduction initiative has now "picked up pace." He highlighted a landmark achievement: Kuno is now home to third-generation cubs born to an India-born female cheetah named Mukhi, who gave birth in November.
"We have released three cheetahs today, and the growing cheetah family will bring new livelihood opportunities for the displaced communities in the region," Yadav said. He added that local residents in the surrounding Chambal belt have shown remarkable adaptation in learning to coexist with the reintroduced predators.
From Enclosure to Wilderness: A Critical Transition
Wildlife officials explained that this release marks a crucial developmental stage for Veera and her offspring. The trio had spent several months in large, semi-wild enclosures—a preparatory phase designed to hone their hunting skills and build independence in a controlled environment. Within these enclosures, prey availability is managed, and there is no competition for territory from other large carnivores like leopards.
"Veera has shown competent hunting behaviour inside the enclosures, but the added demands of protecting two sub-adult cubs in an unfenced landscape will test her," revealed a senior official from Kuno National Park. The transition to free-ranging status exposes the cheetahs to a host of unpredictable challenges, including variable prey movement, human activity along forest fringes, and the potential risk of straying beyond the park's protected boundaries.
To ensure their safety, the animals have been fitted with radio collars. Intensive monitoring teams will track the trio's movements closely in the coming weeks. Field veterinarians and cheetah managers are on standby, prepared to intervene only if absolutely necessary.
India's Cheetah Reintroduction: A Growing Population
The project, which aims to re-establish a cheetah population in India decades after their extinction, began on September 17, 2022. On that day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs from Namibia into Kuno. This founding group was bolstered the following year by the arrival of twelve more cheetahs from South Africa.
The programme has seen encouraging breeding success. India's current cheetah population stands at 32 individuals, with an impressive 21 of them born within the country. While twenty-nine of these big cats are currently housed at Kuno National Park, three have been translocated to the Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mandsaur-Neemuch region to explore additional suitable habitats.
The cheetah family in India is set to grow further. During President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Gaborone in November, Botswana pledged eight more cheetahs. These animals are presently under quarantine at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve and are expected to arrive at Kuno in the coming months for the necessary acclimatisation process before joining the wider population.
