New Delhi: In a major development in India, eight cheetahs, brought from Namibia, have been released at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra was invited to open the gates to release the cheetahs at the park. Notably, getting back Cheetahs on Indian soil is a special moment for every Indian as the cheetahs were declared extinct in the country in 1952.
#WATCH | First look of Cheetahs that will be brought from Namibia to India on 17th September at KUNO National Park, in Madhya Pradesh pic.twitter.com/HOjexYWtE6
— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2022
According to the reports, the last cheetah died in the country in 1947 in the Korea district which is now in Chhattisgarh.
However, the government has roped in Ramesh Sikarwar as the most prominent ‘Cheetah Mitra’. His main job is to raise awareness about the species among the residents. Let’s find below here, why Sikarwar is doing rounds in media reports for his work.
Who is ‘Cheetah Mitra’ Ramesh Sikarwar?
Ramesh Sikarwar is known as a head of a gang of bandits who surrendered to the police in 1984. He reportedly once killed 13 cowherds in a day and has around 91 cases of kidnapping and murder against his name. The 72-year-old’s knowledge of forest has helped to be designated as a Cheetah Mitra.
Talking to the media, Sikarwar said, ”I was approached by the officials of the forest department to become a ”Cheetah Mitra” to scale up the awareness among the public about the feline.”
”As a Cheetah Mitra, I am telling people not to be afraid of cheetahs as they never attack a human being. I am asking them to alert the nearest forest officials whenever they came in contact with Cheetah without being panicked,” added Sikarwar.
Sikarwar also said that he will try to keep the Cheetahs within the territory of the park. However, we will make arrangements to bring them back if they go out of the designated space.