8 more cheetahs from Botswana to arrive by Feb 28: CM

Bhopal: In a quantum boost to the state's cheetah reintroduction and conservation effort, Chief minister Mohan Yadav said 8 more cheetahs from Botswana will arrive in Madhya Pradesh by February 28. The trans-location of the latest batch of cheetahs from the African country could go a long way in meeting the CM's target of boosting the state's cheetah count to 50 by the end of this year. The development also follows Gamini, the South African female cheetah, giving birth to three cubs at MP's Kuno National Park on February 18.Hailing the cheetah reintroduction project at the Assembly, the CM said it has sent a larger message of ‘Prakriti se Pragati' (Nature breeding progress). He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative, saying ‘Project Cheetah' has emerged as the world's most successful wildlife conservation campaign. The government put out an official release on Saturday, highlighting ‘three successful years' of ‘Project Cheetah'. "India's initiative to reintroduce the cheetah after its extinction in the country, has achieved significant milestones," the release read, adding, "Launched in September 2022, the conservation journey has steadily advanced toward lasting success. Cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa have adapted well to Indian conditions. The birth of second-generation cubs in Kuno and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary demonstrates the realisation of Prime Minister Modi's vision under the effective leadership of Chief minister Mohan Yadav. The sight of cheetahs sprinting across Indian sanctuaries has become an inspiring example for biodiversity conservation."Earlier, on September 17, 2022 Prime Minister Modi released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia into protected enclosures at Kuno National Park, marking the formal launch of the ambitious cheetah reintroduction project. On February 18, 2023, 12 more cheetahs from South Africa were introduced into Kuno.The government has set sights on establishing a self-sustaining population of 60–70 cheetahs across approximately 17,000 square kms by 2032. For this purpose, a conservation breeding centre will also be set up in the Banni grasslands of Gujarat, the government stated on Saturday."The successful reintroduction of cheetahs within just three years stands as a powerful example of India's commitment to wildlife conservation," the official release read, adding, "The survival of breeding females, the healthy growth of second-generation cubs, and the expansion into new habitats indicate that the cheetah is once again becoming an integral part of India's forest ecosystem."