Cheetah Reintroduction in India

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Veera, adventurous cheetah known for forays outside Kuno boundaries, gives birth to 2 cubs

Veera, one of the cheetahs housed in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, has given birth to two cubs, officials said Tuesday.

There are currently 26 cheetahs, including 14 cubs, at Kuno National Park. After spending over a year inside protective enclosures, two cheetahs — Agni and Vayu — were released into the open forest area recently.

The Kuno action plan envisaged free-ranging cheetahs that would survive in the wild alongside leopards and other co-predators. But the cheetahs had to be brought to the enclosures on August 13, 2023, after three adults “died due to septicaemia after wounds beneath their dense winter coat on the back and neck regions became infested with maggots”.

Veera is known for its forays beyond the park’s boundaries. In May, it made an arduous journey, reaching Baghwala village in Gwalior through the Jaura and Pahargarh regions of Morena. This marked the first time it had ventured so close to an urban area. During its time outside the park, it attacked a herd of goats, killing three in front of a shepherd. Wildlife officials, closely tracking Veera’s movements, intervened and successfully relocated it back to Kuno.

This was not Veera’s first excursion beyond protected territory. A month earlier, in April, Veera was rescued from the Jaura, Pahargarh, and Kailaras areas of Morena. During that period, the cheetah demonstrated its hunting prowess by taking down a Nilgai and preying on approximately six goats.

“It is a matter of immense happiness that the cheetah population in our state continues to rise. The birth of these two cubs is a moment of pride, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all citizens of the state,” Chief Minister Mohan Yadavsaid.

He credited the success to the efforts of conservation officials, veterinarians, and field staff who worked tirelessly to make “Madhya Pradesh known as the land of cheetahs”.

The CM said the growing cheetah population is expected to boost wildlife tourism in the state, open up new employment opportunities, and strengthen the local economy.

“We are committed to the conservation, promotion, and re-establishment of not just cheetahs but all wildlife,” he said.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kuno-welcomes-2-more-cheetah-cubs-9817018/#u08qk2la1lqbyevlq54y9h0i3xrq6tex2k  Reply