NEW DELHI: With Project Cheetah completing two years, environment minister Bhupender Yadav Tuesday highlighted the journey of the reintroduction of the big cat in India, saying it "symbolises hope for successfully restoring lost wildlife populations and ecosystems".
"Two years ago, we embarked on a historic journey to reintroduce cheetahs in India after nearly 70 years... It hasn't been an easy road. Numerous challenges, from habitat adjustments to ensuring the cubs' survival in the wild, were overcome," Yadav wrote on X.
His remarks came as a Madhya Pradesh govt audit report flagged the absence of a cheetah management plan in the state's Kuno National Park (KNP), currently home to the reintroduced cheetahs, and highlighted a "lack of coordination" between central and state government departments.
Cheetahs were translocated to the park on Sept 17, 2022, when the first batch of eight cheetahs - five females and three males - was brought from Namibia to India. Last year, 12 cheetahs from South Africa joined them.
Currently, there are 12 adult cheetahs (out of 20 that arrived in India) and 12 cubs (out of 17 born on Indian soil) in Kuno.
"Today, as the world watches these cheetah cubs thrive in their natural habitat, we celebrate not just their survival but the resilience and dedication of all involved in these efforts. This is just the beginning of restoring balance to our ecosystems. Many more milestones lie ahead!" Yadav added.
"Two years ago, we embarked on a historic journey to reintroduce cheetahs in India after nearly 70 years... It hasn't been an easy road. Numerous challenges, from habitat adjustments to ensuring the cubs' survival in the wild, were overcome," Yadav wrote on X.
His remarks came as a Madhya Pradesh govt audit report flagged the absence of a cheetah management plan in the state's Kuno National Park (KNP), currently home to the reintroduced cheetahs, and highlighted a "lack of coordination" between central and state government departments.
Cheetahs were translocated to the park on Sept 17, 2022, when the first batch of eight cheetahs - five females and three males - was brought from Namibia to India. Last year, 12 cheetahs from South Africa joined them.
Currently, there are 12 adult cheetahs (out of 20 that arrived in India) and 12 cubs (out of 17 born on Indian soil) in Kuno.
"Today, as the world watches these cheetah cubs thrive in their natural habitat, we celebrate not just their survival but the resilience and dedication of all involved in these efforts. This is just the beginning of restoring balance to our ecosystems. Many more milestones lie ahead!" Yadav added.
