Cheetahs from Namibia, who were released into Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) on September 17, looked fit and fine and drank water kept at their quarantine enclosure in the KNP on Sunday.
On the day of their release, the cheetahs looked hesitant as they took in the new environment with a look of curiosity mixed with bafflement.
As the door of its cage slid open, the first of the eight cheetahs hesitated for a moment or two before stepping out onto the grass.
It then ran, came to a halt near a tree and scanned the surroundings, its new home 8000 km away from its native Namibia, by turning the neck in every direction.
PM Modi clicks photographs after releasing cheetahs inside a special enclosure of the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh
PM Modi clicks photographs after releasing cheetahs inside a special enclosure of the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh
The big cats now seem to be slowly adapting to the new environment as they were seen strolling in their quarantine enclosure on Sunday and soaking in the ambience with curiosity.
They were seen wandering and resting in their new habitat.
These fastest land animals were seen looking around the new surroundings.
Officials keeping close watch on cheetahs
Veterinarians and experts from India and Namibia are keeping a close watch on these spotted animals in their quarantine enclosure, where they will be kept for a month.
They will be given buffalo meat to feast on during this period.
These animals are believed to take food once in three days. They were given buffalo meat before they left Namibia for India two days ago, KNP director Uttam Sharma said.
The cheetahs are active and in good health, Sharma said.
Names of cheetahs
The eight cheetahs, who were brought in from South Africa, include five female and three male big cats. The cheetahs were named in Namibia as -- Obaan, Freddy, Savannah, Asha, Cibili, Saisa and Sasha. The name of one cheetah was not specified.
KNP director Uttam Sharma said the cheetahs have yet not been given new names.
"We have not given new names to them. Right now we are not thinking over it. They were given names in Namibia," the director said.
Extinction of cheetahs from India
The last cheetah died in the country in 1947 in Korea district in present-day Chhattisgarh, the earlier part of Madhya Pradesh, and the species was declared extinct from India in 1952.
While the 'African Cheetah Introduction Project in India' was conceived in 2009 during the rule of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the plan to bring the big cat to the KNP by November last year suffered a setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The transcontinental journey of more than 8,000 km of the eight cheetahs aged between 30 to 66 months from Namibia had begun on Friday night.
Around 11.30 am, as the prime minister operated a lever from the high dais, the sliding door of the special cage below opened, and the first of the cheetahs stepped into the special enclosure at the KNP.
Earlier that day, a modified Boeing 747 carrying these cheetahs landed at the Gwalior airbase. The animals were then flown by two Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters to Palpur near the Park, 165 km away.
A photo of the special jumbo jet which transported eight cheetahs from Namibia to India
In his speech after releasing cheetahs, PM Modi had on Saturday cautioned that they need time to get used to their new surroundings before people can see them in the wild.
"Cheetahs are our guests; we should give them a few months to make Kuno National Park their home," he said.
The KNP, spread over an area of 750 sq km, is situated on the northern side of the Vindhyachal mountains. It derives its name from the Kuno river, a tributary of the Chambal.
(With inputs from PTI)
Also Read | Kuno National Park has adequate space, prey base to house 20 to 25 cheetahs: MP forest officer
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