Sheopur

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday released two female cheetahs brought from Botswana into the open forest of Kuno National Park after the completion of their quarantine period.

The two cheetahs, identified as CCV-2 and CCV-3, were released at a site near the Kuno River.

Calling the development another milestone under Project Cheetah, Yadav said the successful reintroduction of cheetahs from Namibia, South Africa and now Botswana has given Madhya Pradesh nationwide recognition as the “Cheetah State.”

He said the state has embraced cheetahs “as part of its family” and is setting new benchmarks in wildlife conservation.

The chief minister also credited Narendra Modi for launching the cheetah reintroduction programme at Kuno around three-and-a-half years ago, saying the project is progressing successfully.

Nine cheetahs—six females and three males—brought from Botswana in February had been kept in acclimatisation enclosures before being gradually released into the wild.

With their arrival, India’s total cheetah population, including cubs born in the country, has risen to 57, according to officials.

Project Cheetah marks India’s effort to restore the species, increase their population, and prepare them for independent hunting and movement in the wild.

This is the third international phase of the programme. Earlier, eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia in September 2022, followed by 12 from South Africa in 2023.

Wildlife experts believe the Botswana cheetahs add valuable genetic diversity, which could help build a healthier and sustainable population at Kuno.

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Officials said preparations are also underway to relocate some cheetahs in the future to other sanctuaries such as Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary.