Cheetahs Vayu, Agni shifted to soft release enclosure in Kuno National Park

Male cheetahs Vayu and Agni were shifted to a soft release 'boma' (enclosure) in Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, officials said.

The ambitious cheetah reintroduction project completed one year on Sunday, which also saw male cheetahs Gaurav and Shourya being shifted to the soft release boma from the quarantine enclosure.

"Vayu and Agni were released in soft release boma on Monday following protocols after completion of their health checkup. Both cheetahs are healthy. Both were in the quarantine boma since June 27. The process of release was completed successfully by the team of veterinary officers in the presence of senior officers," an official release said on Monday.

Under the cheetah reintroduction project, eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17 last year.

In February this year, 12 more cheetahs arrived at KNP from South Africa.

Since March, nine cheetahs, including three cubs, have died, while 14 cheetahs and one cub are in healthy condition, officials said.

Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952.