Cheetah tourism in Madhya Pradesh likely to begin in February

The authorities anticipate that cheetah tourism will be possible by February 2023 (Photo: India Today)

By Ravish Pal Singh: Cheetah tourism is likely to begin in Madhya Pradesh from February next year, as the cheetahs brought in from Namibia are healthy and have adapted to Indian conditions. The eight cheetahs introduced to Kuno National Park in September by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been released in larger acclimatisation enclosures, and none of them are currently under quarantine.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kuno National Park, Prakash Kumar Verma, told India Today that the cheetahs were released in a phased manner from a small enclosure to a large enclosure.

All the cheetahs are fully fit and are hunting freely. The date for releasing the cheetahs from the big enclosure into the open forest has not yet been decided. The Cheetah Task Force, a group of experts tasked with overseeing the cheetah introduction project, and the government will make the final decision.

READ | African cheetahs at Kuno National Park kill cheetal, make history

However, preparations are in full swing, as the authorities expect cheetah tourism to be possible by February 2023. Once released, it will be the first time in over 75 years that cheetahs will be seen in the wild. Tourist footfall is also expected to rise once the cheetahs are released.

Cheetahs Elton and Freddie, both males, were released from their boma enclosures from quarantine on November 5, while Obaan, the third male, was released on November 18. Asha and Tbilisi, both females, were released on November 27 in separate enclosures, while three other females, Siyaya, Savannah, and Sasha, were released on November 28.

As per the 'Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India' prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, around 12-14 wild cheetahs (8-10 males and 4-6 females) that are ideal for establishing a new cheetah population would be imported from South Africa, Namibia, and other African countries as founder stock for five years initially and then as may be required by the programme.

READ MORE | No health complications reported in 8 cheetahs introduced to Kuno national park