KNP to hold events for 2nd anniversary of cheetah reintroduction project

The Kuno National Park (KNP) will hold programmes, including the inauguration of a wildlife hospital, on September 17 to mark the second anniversary of the cheetah reintroduction project.

The project, launched in 2022, has seen the deaths of eight big cats and five cubs.

The KNP management released a video on Sunday with clips of cheetahs and cubs in the park.

Under the ambitious Cheetah Reintroduction project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight Namibian cheetahs, five females and three males, into enclosures at the KNP to mark his birthday on September 17, 2022.

In February 2023, 12 cheetahs were translocated from South Africa.

State Forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat will attend various programmes at the national park, including the inauguration of a wildlife hospital for cheetahs.

A KNP official said the forest minister will visit the enclosures of the cheetahs and inaugurate a wildlife hospital for cheetahs in Palpur. Besides meeting residents of villages around KNP, the minister will interact with the Cheetah Mitras, and release the annual report and documentary on the project, he said.

This is a historic journey. India's ambitious project to reintroduce cheetahs to India after nearly 70 years is completing two successful years, he said.

The project, a pioneering effort globally, symbolises hope for restoring lost wildlife populations and ecosystems, the official said.

He said it was not an easy road, as numerous challenges, such as habitat adjustments and cubs' survival in the wild, were overcome.

In two years, the KNP lost eight adult cheetahs and five cubs born on Indian soil.

With the death of Pawan, the only free-range cheetah, on August 27 this year, the KNP is left with 24 big cats, including 12 adults and as many cubs.

According to officials, two Namibian and three African males and two Namibian and an African female have died.

Three females and five males, including Sasha (March 27, 2023), Uday (April 23, 2023), Daksha (May 9, 2023), Tejas (July 11, 2023), Suraj (July 14, 2023), Dhatri (August 2, 2023) and Shaurya (January 16, 2024), Pawan (August 27, 2024) have died so far.