Bhopal: Amid growing concern over the death of nine cheetahs in Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur district in Madhya Pradesh in a span of six months, Union environment, forest and climate change minister Bhupender Yadav has reiterated that there was no plan to relocate the felines from their new habitat, KNP.
“There is no plan going on to relocate the cheetahs. I can say with great confidence that we are seriously engaged in this (cheetah reintroduction) project”, Mr Yadav said in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh late on Saturday night.
Referring to death of nine cheetahs since the translocation of first batch of eight cheetahs to KNP from Namibia on September 17, last year, Mr Yadav said that this is a long term project in which cheetahs have to come every year and the government has accepted the sensitivity of the ambitious project.
“We are fully concerned about each cheetah”, he added.
Referring to the death of some cheetahs due to maggot infection, he said that the issue was being addressed.
“The infection caused by insects due to the monsoon has come to our notice. We have lost two cheetahs due to infections. We have also shared the information with experts of South Africa and Namibia and we are moving forward on its management”, the Union minister told reporters.
Mr Yadav said that this was the first year of the cheetah introduction project and all the forest officials and veterinarians are working very hard at KNP and looking into the issues regarding weather conditions here and its effect.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to make the cheetah project successful.
Eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia to KNP in September last and twelve cheetahs were translocated to the park from South Africa in February this year.
Of them, six cheetahs have died so far.
In March this year, four cubs were born to a Namibian cheetah couple.
Of them, only one female cub survived.
The park is now left with 14 adult cheetahs and the lone surviving cub.
