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Madhya Pradesh govt to develop cheetah safari at Kuno National Park: Officials
All 14 adult cheetahs — seven males, seven females and a female cub – have been shifted to an enclosure in Kuno National Park after three deaths due to skin abrasion caused by radio collars
The Madhya Pradesh government is planning to develop a cheetah safari in the Saisaipura area of the Kuno National Park (KNP) for tourist attraction and economic development of the area, said a forest official aware of the matter on Friday.
The state has sent a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for approval, said the official.
“A proposal has been sent to attract tourists and for the economic development of Saisaipura area. It will be developed in 150 hectares,” KNP director Uttam Kumar Sharma said.
“The safari will have cheetahs who cannot survive in the wild and can be easily sighted by people,” said a senior officer of the MP forest department.
Since it is difficult for tourists to see cheetahs at Kuno, we have decided to have a safari. It will generate revenue. The safari will also have two female cheetahs from Namibia, the officer said.
He added that the safari will also be a breeding centre to increase the cheetah population, as mating between wild cheetahs is an issue of concern.
So far, six adult cheetahs have died in Kuno since the translocation of 20 big cats to India in two batches from Namibia and South Africa in September last year and February 2023, respectively. Besides, three of the four cubs born in India have also died.
All 14 adult cheetahs — seven males, seven females and a female cub – have been shifted to an enclosure in Kuno National Park after three deaths due to skin abrasion caused by radio collars.
Since the multiple deaths of cheetahs at Kuno due to different reasons, including skin infections, the radio collars of all the cheetahs have been removed, and their health is being monitored closely by forest officials and veterinarians.
