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12 more cheetahs released in Kuno National Park in MP

This is the second batch of cheetahs brought to the park from Africa. With this the total number of cheetahs in the park has reached 20.

12 more cheetahs released in Kuno National Park in MP

MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan [Photo: ANI]

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday afternoon released 12 cheetahs, brought from South Africa, in the Kuno Palpur National Park in the Sheopur district of the state.

This is the second batch of cheetahs brought to the park from Africa. On 17 September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the first batch of eight cheetahs, which were brought from Namibia, Africa, into the park.

Union Environment and Forests Minister Bhupendra Yadav was present during the release of the 12 spotted felines, of which five are females.

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Chief Minister Chouhan released the first cheetah into one of the 10 specially created quarantine enclosures today afternoon at around 1.40 pm. Expressing happiness over the arrival of cheetahs, he said the total number of cheetahs in the park has now reached 20.

The cheetahs were brought to the park by Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters from the Maharajpura Air Force base in Gwalior.

Earlier, the 12 big cats arrived at Gwalior at around 10 am today by an IAF Globemaster C17 transport aircraft after a 10-hour flight from the OR Tambo International Airport in the province of Gauteng in South Africa.

According to South Africa’s forest department, the cheetahs were tranquilised and each one was fitted with a tracking collar in South Africa and loaded into their relocation crates before being airlifted for Kuno. The cheetahs were kept hydrated through drips during the flight from South Africa to Gwalior.

As per Indian Wildlife Laws, the 12 cheetahs will be kept in quarantine for 30 days.

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