New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh’s CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the second batch of cheetahs in the Kuno National Park in the state. The second batch of 12 cheetahs was brought from South Africa and now has its new home in Madhya Pradesh. Addressing the press, he also called it a gift of Mahashivratri.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan releases the second batch of 12 Cheetah brought from South Africa, to their new home Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/uQuWQRcqdh
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2023
CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked PM Modi for his vision of bringing back cheetahs to India. He added that PM Modi’s vision is to protect the environment and wildlife, and the Cheetah project is an example of the same. CM also congratulated the team behind the project for bringing the cheetahs safely to Madhya Pradesh.
#WATCH | MP has got a gift on Mahashivratri. I thank PM Modi, it is his vision. 12 Cheetahs will be rehabilitated to Kuno & total number will become 20. The Cheetahs that had come earlier have now adapted to the situation very well: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan pic.twitter.com/WpMhpdZcc2
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2023
He also told that with these 12 cheetahs being released in Kuno, the total number of these wild cats in India goes up to 20. Chouhan said that the cheetahs that came to Kuno National Park earlier have adapted to their new habitat.
The batch of 12 cheetahs was brought to India in Indian Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster Cargo planes, which landed at the Gwalior airport and they were further taken in the Mi-17 helicopters, which landed at the national park earlier.
#WATCH | Indian Air Force’s Mi-17 helicopters carrying the second batch of 12 Cheetah brought from South Africa landed at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/5fBJo9f0ML
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2023
As per the Cheetah Project Chief, SP Yadav, the second batch was flown from Johannesburg at around 8:30 pm local time.
In September 2022, eight cheetahs from Namibia were flown to India. The project has been undertaken as per a signed MoU between India and South Africa.
