Project Cheetah: Due to rising deaths of Big Cats, officials will be sent on study tour to Namibia, South Africa

Bhopal: Union Forest Minister Bhupendra Yadav has said that officials involved in the cheetah revival plan will be sent on a study tour to Namibia and South Africa, from where the tigers have been brought to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. During a meeting with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here on Monday, Yadav said that he would visit KNP located in Sheopur district on June 6.

The Union Minister said that funds and all logistic support would be provided for the protection, conservation and revival of the cats. It may be noted that six cheetahs have died in KNP since March this year.

Three of the four cubs of Jwala had died earlier this month. Sasha, one of the translocated Namibian cheetahs, died on 27 March due to a kidney-related ailment, while Uday, a cheetah brought from South Africa, died on 13 April.

Cheetah Daksha, brought from South Africa, succumbed to his injuries on May 9 this year after a violent interaction with a male cheetah during an attempt to mate.

Yadav said that the Gandhi Sagar sanctuary in MP is being prepared as an alternate home for cheetahs, adding that the number of cheetahs in KNP is below its capacity.

Chief Minister Chouhan said that he is distressed by the recent death of three cheetah cubs. He said it was true that the survival rate of cheetah cubs is low across the world, but his government would make all efforts to ensure the well-being of tigers.

Eight Namibian cheetahs, including five females and three males, were brought to the KNP and released in special enclosures by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 last year as part of an ambitious reintroduction program to the species.

Later, 12 cheetahs – seven males and five females – were brought to the national park from South Africa in February this year.