Highlights
- Two male cheetahs have already been released in the big enclosure
- The rest of the cheetahs will also be released in a phase-wise manner soon
- No objection certificate was given based on the routine observation and test reports
Eight cheetahs, who arrived in India from Namibia in September this year, are set to be released in a big enclosure. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has received a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry. The certificate is for quarantine clearance of the cheetahs.
According to an official, two of the eight cheetahs were released in an acclimatization enclosure of Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district on Saturday.
"After the completion of the quarantine period of the cheetahs brought from Namibia, two male cheetahs have been released in a big enclosure. The rest of the cheetahs will also be released in a phase-wise manner soon," said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kuno Wildlife Circle Prakash Kumar Verma.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his delight over the release of two cheetahs in the bigger enclosure. The prime minister said that the other cheetahs will be released soon.
An official of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said, "They have received the no objection certificate from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry. Government of India, for quarantine clearance of eight cheetahs which were brought from Namibia on a special plane and introduced by Prime Minister on September 17 at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh."
Top sources from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry said that no objection certificate was given based on the routine observation and test reports.
"The cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) were found free from any infectious disease and a final no objection certificate is accorded to Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry," the sources added.
"The cheetahs brought from Namibia and introduced in Kuno National Park on September 17 are healthy, alert, vigilant, active and taking normal diet, normal Water and defecation. The quarantine period of 30 days is over. So far two cheetahs were in a big enclosure and very soon other six cheetahs will be released in a phased manner in a big enclosure of the park where they can hunt, said a senior official of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
An official from the ministry further said that all arrangements have been made for the release of the cheetahs in big enclosures and it is likely that all the cheetahs will find their new enclosure by November 10.
"This is already a big success that no Animal died in intercontinental translocation and not only this, all the cheetahs that came to India are safe, normal and till date did not face any kind of problems here despite the very long distance journey due to our excellent preparations for them," said a senior official.
On the occasion of his birthday, PM Modi introduced cheetahs brought from Namibia in Kuno National Park as part of his efforts to revitalise and diversify the country's wildlife and habitat.
India has a long history of wildlife conservation.
One of the most successful wildlife conservation ventures 'Project Tiger' which was initiated way back in 1972, has not only contributed to the conservation of tigers but also to the entire ecosystem.
(With inputs from ANI)
