Cheetahs imported from Namibia are being introduced to India under Project Cheetah, the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translation project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning released eight cheetahs through a system in the enclosures built inside Kuno National Park in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. Today is also PM Modi’s birthday.
LIVE: On his 72nd birthday, PM Modi releases 8 cheetahs from Namibia in MP forest
Soon after releasing the cheetahs, the Prime Minister congratulated all Indians and said, “Today, cheetahs have returned to our land after decades. On this historic day, I would like to congratulate all Indians and the government of Namibia. I want to thank you too.”
PM Modi said, “Decades ago, the age-old link of biodiversity was broken and became extinct, today we have a chance to reconnect it. Along with these cheetahs, the nature-loving consciousness of India is also in full force. has woken up.” ,
A special cargo plane carrying eight cheetahs from Namibia landed at Gwalior airport at around 7.51 am.
The PM also requested people to show some patience in spotting Namibian cheetahs in Kuno National Park. PM Modi said, “Cheetahs are our guests, we should give them a few months to make Kuno National Park their home.”
Initially the special aircraft was to land at Jaipur, from where they were to be flown to Kuno, but the plan was changed at the last minute. A team of 24 wildlife experts, including veterinarians and three biologists, accompanied the species as they made the intercontinental journey in a modified passenger Boeing 747 aircraft. Following necessary protocols including a medical check-up in Gwalior, the cheetahs were sent to Palpur village in Sheopur district in two helicopters of the Indian Air Force, including a Chinook.
PM Modi arrived at Gwalior airport from New Delhi at around 10.45 am and left for Kuno, about 165 km away, where he released the cheetahs in quarantine enclosures at around 11.30 am.
Union ministers Bhupendra Yadav, Narendra Singh Umar and Jyotiraditya Scindia, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state forest minister Vijay Shah were also present. Project head Dr MK Ranjitsinh, V Jhala, Dean, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), NTCA chief SP Yadav and Madhya Pradesh wildlife unit chief JS Chauhan, Kuno DFO PK Verma, SDO Amritanshu Singh among others who played a key role in this. This project was also inside the park.
After releasing the cheetahs, PM Modi went to Karahal in Sheopur district to attend a tree plantation program and then a conference of women self-help groups (SHGs).
PM will leave for New Delhi from Gwalior in the afternoon after Karahal program.
Meanwhile in Kuno a team of forest officials, who were trained in Namibia to handle cheetahs, have swung into action. physical capture, cheetah traps, capture a whole group of cheetahs, handling cheetahs after capture, human defence, chemical capture, preparation before chemical capture, selection of an anesthetic agent, dosage , was trained in administration. Anesthetic agents, administration of medication after management, recovery post-anesthesia etc, the sources said.
watch Watch: PM Modi releases 8 cheetahs in Kuno National Park