Wildlife enthusiasts have reason to celebrate as Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park reopens after its annual monsoon break. However, the much-anticipated sight of cheetahs, brought from Namibia and South Africa as part of India’s ambitious reintroduction project, remains on hold for now.
The park’s team is currently monitoring the health and acclimatization of the 24 cheetahs, introduced under a historic transcontinental translocation program, but they have yet to release them into the wild. Delayed by heavy monsoon rains, the park is now ready to welcome tourists, but the phased release of these magnificent cats will only commence once the rains fully recede.
But Cheetah Sighting Still a Waiting Game in Kuno National Park
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the monsoon to withdraw from central India by early October. After this, the team will gradually release the 13 adult cheetahs and 12 cubs into their natural habitat. They will ensure the cubs have time to adapt under their mothers’ supervision, with full freedom expected by December.
Officials have assured that the cheetahs are in good health after receiving vaccinations and preventative treatments, especially after a challenging year when three cheetahs succumbed to septicemia. This bacterial infection occurred due to injuries sustained from the unexpected growth of winter coats, which some cheetahs scratched excessively during the Indian summer.
While the project has faced criticism, with concerns about the stress of prolonged enclosure time, conservationists remain hopeful. The careful release strategy aims to ensure the cheetahs successfully integrate into their new environment, marking a historic step in reviving the species that went extinct in India nearly 80 years ago. Tourists and wildlife lovers will have to be patient, but excitement is building as the return of cheetahs to the Indian wild draws closer.