5 cheetahs wander out of Kuno, get pelted with stones

BHOPAL: Villagers in Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh, attempted to attack a female cheetah and her four cubs by pelting them with stones and using canes after the family of cheetahs pounced on a calf. The cheetahs had ventured beyond the boundary of Kuno National Park, where they were attempting to hunt for food.

The female cheetah, Jwala, and her cubs were roaming near the Sheopur-Gwalior railway line when they spotted a herd of calves. In a bid to satisfy their hunger, the cheetahs targeted one of the calves. However, the sight of the hunt quickly drew a crowd of villagers, who surrounded the cheetahs and began aggressively throwing stones and waving sticks at them.

The sudden attack caused the cheetahs, already under stress from the hunt, to flee into the forest. The cubs and their mother abandoned the hunt in an attempt to escape the hostile crowd. Members of the tracking team were seen trying to stop the villagers, and forest officials, who were present at the scene, intervened, pushing back the crowd and ensuring the cheetahs' safety. Jwala and her cubs were able to escape further harm.

A video showing the crowd throwing stones at the cheetahs during the hunt has since emerged and gone viral on social media, raising concerns over the safety of wildlife in areas outside the park's protected boundaries.

Director of the Lion Project, Uttam Sharma, told TOI, "Continued efforts are being made to raise awareness about cheetahs. Cheetahs remain unbothered by the presence of humans, and people will gradually adapt to living alongside them."

Jwala, a female cheetah from Namibia, and her four cubs were released into the wild on February 5 this year. The release took place in the Khajuri tourist zone of Kuno National Park as part of a significant project to reintroduce cheetahs to India. The cubs, aged around 13 months, include two males and two females, each weighing approximately 40 kg. With this release, the total number of cheetahs in Kuno National Park rose to 12, including seven that were already roaming freely in the open forest.

The Khajuri forest area is part of the Ahera tourist zone, and the Forest Department has been closely monitoring the movements of all the cheetahs using radio collars. This allows officials to track their progress and ensure their well-being as they acclimatize to the wild.

In March, South African female cheetah Gamini and her four cubs—two males and two females, all aged over 12 months—were also released into the wild in the Khajuri forest area of Kuno. This release brought the total number of cheetahs in the open forest at Kuno to 17, including 11 Indian-born cubs. Only nine cheetahs remain in the enclosures, which include two 2-month-old cubs.

The decision to release Gamini and her cubs into the wild followed the successful adaptation of Dheera, Asha, and her three cubs, marking a successful phase in the cheetah reintroduction program. Gamini, who arrived at Kuno National Park from South Africa, had given birth to six cubs on March 10, 2024. Tragically, one cub passed away on June 4, and another on August 5. Of the remaining four cubs, two are males and two are females.

With a total of 26 cheetahs now in Kuno National Park, the park is witnessing a thriving population, and all cheetahs are reported to be healthy.

Earlier, the cheetah rehabilitation project had already seen success with the release of Asha and her three cubs, who are thriving in the open forest. These developments mark a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to restore the cheetah population in India after their extinction from the country decades ago, officials said.

The presence of cheetahs in the tourism zones of Kuno is expected to boost tourism, with more visitors coming to the park to spot them in their natural environment. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav emphasized the potential for increased tourism and the state's commitment to enhancing both wildlife conservation and tourism.

Bhopal: Villagers in Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh, attempted to attack a female cheetah and her four cubs by pelting them with stones and using canes after the family of cheetahs pounced on a calf. The cheetahs had ventured beyond the boundary of Kuno National Park, where they were attempting to hunt for food.

The female cheetah, Jwala, and her cubs were roaming near the Sheopur-Gwalior railway line when they spotted a herd of calves. In a bid to satisfy their hunger, the cheetahs targeted one of the calves. However, the sight of the hunt quickly drew a crowd of villagers, who surrounded the cheetahs and began aggressively throwing stones and waving sticks at them.

The sudden attack caused the cheetahs, already under stress from the hunt, to flee into the forest. The cubs and their mother abandoned the hunt in an attempt to escape the hostile crowd. Members of the tracking team were seen trying to stop the villagers, and forest officials, who were present at the scene, intervened, pushing back the crowd and ensuring the cheetahs' safety. Jwala and her cubs were able to escape further harm.

A video showing the crowd throwing stones at the cheetahs during the hunt has since emerged and gone viral on social media, raising concerns over the safety of wildlife in areas outside the park's protected boundaries.

Director of the Lion Project, Uttam Sharma, told TOI, "Continued efforts are being made to raise awareness about cheetahs. Cheetahs remain unbothered by the presence of humans, and people will gradually adapt to living alongside them."

Jwala, a female cheetah from Namibia, and her four cubs were released into the wild on February 5 this year. The release took place in the Khajuri tourist zone of Kuno National Park as part of a significant project to reintroduce cheetahs to India. The cubs, aged around 13 months, include two males and two females, each weighing approximately 40 kg. With this release, the total number of cheetahs in Kuno National Park rose to 12, including seven that were already roaming freely in the open forest.

The Khajuri forest area is part of the Ahera tourist zone, and the Forest Department has been closely monitoring the movements of all the cheetahs using radio collars. This allows officials to track their progress and ensure their well-being as they acclimatize to the wild.

In March, South African female cheetah Gamini and her four cubs—two males and two females, all aged over 12 months—were also released into the wild in the Khajuri forest area of Kuno. This release brought the total number of cheetahs in the open forest at Kuno to 17, including 11 Indian-born cubs. Only nine cheetahs remain in the enclosures, which include two 2-month-old cubs.

The decision to release Gamini and her cubs into the wild followed the successful adaptation of Dheera, Asha, and her three cubs, marking a successful phase in the cheetah reintroduction program. Gamini, who arrived at Kuno National Park from South Africa, had given birth to six cubs on March 10, 2024. Tragically, one cub passed away on June 4, and another on August 5. Of the remaining four cubs, two are males and two are females.

With a total of 26 cheetahs now in Kuno National Park, the park is witnessing a thriving population, and all cheetahs are reported to be healthy.

Earlier, the cheetah rehabilitation project had already seen success with the release of Asha and her three cubs, who are thriving in the open forest. These developments mark a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to restore the cheetah population in India after their extinction from the country decades ago, officials said.

The presence of cheetahs in the tourism zones of Kuno is expected to boost tourism, with more visitors coming to the park to spot them in their natural environment. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav emphasized the potential for increased tourism and the state's commitment to enhancing both wildlife conservation and tourism.