Kuno cheetahs fed 1.2 crore goat meat in a year: Govt tells assembly

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government shells out Rs 35,000 every day from its coffers, on an average, to feed goat meat to the cheetahs inhabiting the Kuno National Park. The government shared the figure in the Assembly on Wednesday, adding that Rs 1,27,10,870 was spent in fiscal 2024–25 to purchase goat meat for the protected feline species that were rewilded at Kuno as part of the Centre's ambitious ‘Project Cheetah'.A total of 32 cheetahs are currently in the care of the Kuno wildlife division, the government stated in reply to a question by Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra in the House on Wednesday. The Congress legislator sought to know how much money was being allocated in a year to feed the cheetahs and how many goats were being fed to them everyday. He also sought clarification on the exact number of cheetahs currently at the Kuno sanctuary.The MLA asked the government if it was correct that since September 17, 2022, Rs 1.3 crore was being released every year to purchase goat meat for the cheetahs at Kuno. He also sought a response on whether the cheetahs were prowling the rural areas of Gwalior, Shivpuri, Rajasthan, and Morena districts and hunting goats and livestock of villagers.He also asked if it was true that cheetahs were not being given food inside the sanctuary, due to which a cheetah allegedly died in an accident on the Ghatigaon highway on Dec 6, 2025. "Are Kuno staff and departmental officers responsible for the well-being and safe-keeping of the cheetahs, being negligent?" the Congress MLA asked.In his written reply to the questions, CM Mohan Yadav stated that no separate amount was allocated specifically for cheetah food at the Kuno National Park. "There is no fixed standard for how many goats are fed per day, the CM stated, adding that meat is provided as per requirement. Cheetahs roaming in open forest areas occasionally prey on villagers' goats and livestock, the CM admitted.