Cheetahs not to be shifted from Kuno: Union forest minister Bhupender Yadav

Amid the death of two cheetahs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh this week, Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said the government is serious about the project and the cursorial animals won’t be shifted out of KNP.

He said a team will soon visit the protected park in MP’s Sheopur district.

Since March this year, eight cheetahs, including three cubs born in India, have died at KNP.

“Our teams are working. We are having discussions with our teams and experts. We are bound to take proper care of our cheetahs,” he told reporters.

In the latest loss, male cheetah Tejas died on Tuesday, while another big cat named Suraj lost its life on Friday, according to officials. Both had been translocated from South Africa.

“One of our teams will visit KNP shortly. I hope the project will go smoothly. We are serious about it. One year is needed for things to settle down,” he added.

The minister also said that there was no plan to move the cheetahs out of KNP.

“Cheetahs will not be shifted anywhere. We respect the sentiment of the people of MP, he said.