In a staggering development, it was announced that the African cheetahs that were brought to India for the first time in the world through transcontinental translocation will now be seen roaming the wild after living in the intricately monitored enclosures of Kuno Sanctuary for nearly a year. In a pivotal juncture of the Centre’s “Project Cheetah,” the concerned authorities have decided to release the beasts in the wild.
During a meeting of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee, it was decided that African cheetahs and their India-born cubs will finally be released into the wild in a phased manner after the withdrawal of monsoon. The Indian Meteorological Department has asserted that the monsoon usually withdraws from most parts of Madhya Pradesh by the first week of October. Following this assertion, members of the committee and officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) visited Kuno and discussed the issue of the release of the cheetahs.
As per reports, the adult cheetahs will be released into the wild after the rainy season ends, while cubs and female cheetahs shall be released after December.