Centre reiterates no relocation of Kuno cheetahs, says serious about project

Union minister Bhupender Yadav has said there is no plan to relocate cheetahs from the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district.

The government accepts the sensitivity of the (cheetah reintroduction) project and wants it to be a complete success, the minister for environment, forest and climate change told reporters on Saturday.

Notably, nine cheetahs, including three cubs, have died at the KNP since March this year.

To a query on relocation of cheetahs from the KNP, Yadav said, "There is no plan going on for this...Naturally, the infection caused by insects due to monsoon has also come to our notice. We have lost two cheetahs due to the infection. We have also shared information with experts from South Africa, Namibia and we are moving forward on its management."

All forest officials and veterinarians are working very hard at the KNP, he said.

This is the first year since the cheetahs have been translocated (from Namibia and South Africa in September 2022 and February this year respectively), Yadav said, adding that continuous work is going on regarding the weather conditions here and its effects.

"I am saying with great confidence that we are seriously engaged in this project. We are fully concerned about each cheetah. The government would like the project to be a complete success. This is a long project in which cheetahs have to come every year. We accept its sensitivity. We will make this project successful," he said.

Eight cheetahs were flown to the KNP from Namibia on September 17, 2022, while another 12 were brought from South Africa in February this year.

Nine cheetahs, including three of the four cubs born here in March, have died, leaving the KNP with 15 cheetahs at present, including a cub.

The latest cheetah death took place on August 2.

Cheetahs were brought to the KNP as part of a reintroduction project after the species was declared extinct from the country in 1952.