HYDERABAD: A decision to release the eight Namibian cheetahs in the wild in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh may be taken on February 14, a senior forest officer said on Thursday.
The cheetah task force constituted to monitor the adaption of the eight Namibian cheetahs to their new habitat is going to meet on February 14 to take a decision on the release of the felines in the wild, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) (wildlife) of Madhya Pradesh J.S. Chouhan told this newspaper.
One of the eight Namibian cheetahs, Sasha, is now recouping in the isolation enclosure in the park, whereas seven other felines are kept in the large ‘bomas’ (enclosures) in the park. “Sasha who was suffering from renal failure is now out of danger”, Chouhan said.
Chouhan said that the eight cheetahs would be released in the wild in a phased manner.
A forest officer of Kuno National Park said that wildlife experts and scientists are expected to attend Saturday’s meeting of the task force.
“Scanning of the park to identify the traps laid by the locals to hunt small animals has been completed. The park is free of any such traps and ready for the release of the cheetahs in the wild,” Kuno divisional forest officer P.K. Verma told this newspaper.
