12 more cheetahs released at Kuno National Park in MP

Bhopal: The 12 cheetahs translocated to India by South Africa have been released at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, taking the total count of big cats in the KNP to 20.

Earlier, eight cheetahs brought from Namibia were released at KNP on September 17 last year on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday.

Indian Air Force's (IAF) C-17 Globemaster plane, which took off from O.R. Tambo International Airport at Gauteng in South Africa, carrying these cheetahs reached Maharajpur air base around 10.30 a.m. and they were taken to Kuno in helicopters.

This time, cheetahs were released into mandatory quarantine bomas by the Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

After releasing cheetahs into quarantine bomas, Chouhan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given another big gift to Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

"Madhya Pradesh has got a gift on the occasion of Mahashivratri. I thank PM Modi from the bottom of my heart, it is his vision. The Cheetahs that had come earlier have adapted to KNP's environment very well.

"One of the female big cats (of the first batch) was reported ill, but now she has recovered fully," Chouhan added.