More than six months after being brought from Namibia, two cheetahs named Oban and Asha were released into the wild in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP), news agency PTI reported on Saturday citing an official familiar with the development.
They had previously been kept in “hunting enclosures” at KNP.
The news agency ANI tweeted a video of the cheetahs being freed. Watch the video here:
Sheopur, MP | Out of the 8 cheetahs that were released on September 17 in Kuno National Park from Namibia, a male cheetah Oban & female cheetah Asha, were released into the open forest: Prakash Kumar Verma, DFO
(Source: Forest Department) pic.twitter.com/TI33sSVb3S
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023
“Among the eight cheetahs brought to KNP in September of last year were Oban and Asha. On Saturday, they were returned to the wild, said J S Chauhan, principal chief conservator of forests, according to PTI.
Oban was let go first, followed by Asha in the late afternoon, as per the PTI report.
Without disclosing a timeline, he stated, “Remaining cheetahs from this batch of eight will be released in the wild in a staggered way”.
In an effort to repopulate the species in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs from Namibia on September 17, 2022—five females and three males.
Cheetahs were declared extinct in India about 70 years ago.
In November, the cheetahs arrived in September and were transferred from quarantine ‘bomas’ to acclimatisation enclosures. Officials stated they were later released into hunting enclosures.
Two of them are now free in the wilderness.
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On February 18, this year, another 12 cheetahs – seven males and five females – were delivered to KNP from South Africa. As a result, a total of 20 cheetahs have arrived at KNP.
(With Inputs From ANI, PTI)