Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav announced that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madhya Pradesh is achieving significant milestones in wildlife conservation through ‘Project Cheetah.’ Marking a major step in the cheetah rehabilitation program, two female cheetahs were released into their natural habitat at Kuno National Park in Sheopur on Monday. These cheetahs, brought from Botswana, were previously kept in quarantine enclosures to acclimatise to the local environment. Following their release, they are now roaming freely in an environment tailored to their natural needs. This initiative has provided fresh momentum to the State’s ongoing conservation efforts, reflecting a deep-seated commitment to human-wildlife coexistence.

 

During his interaction with the media at Kuno National Park, CM Mohan Yadav expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Modi and Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav for their support in the rehabilitation process. He noted that Madhya Pradesh, a leader in wildlife protection, now provides over 5,000 square kilometres of land for cheetahs to roam and expand their population. With the inclusion of these new arrivals and the cubs born in India, the total number of cheetahs in the country has now reached 57. The Chief Minister highlighted that the animals have successfully integrated into the local ecosystem, functioning much like a family. The presence of cheetahs is becoming increasingly prominent across various regions of the state, including Sheopur, Kuno, Palanpur, and Rajgarh, stretching into the Malwa and Chambal belts. Observations indicate that the cheetahs are highly active, with some even traversing the landscape from Madhya Pradesh into Rajasthan. This expanded movement is a testament to the success of the rehabilitation project and the suitability of the regional terrain.