Kuno cheetahs to soon be released in the wild
Some more Cheetahs as part of the second phase of Project Cheetah may be introduced from South Africa and Kenya.
Cheetahs from Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno national park may be released in the wild soon, the second time an attempt to move the cats out of their so-called soft enclosures will be attempted.

“Based on the recommendations of the steering committee for Project Cheetah, the cheetahs will be released in the wild in a phased manner. We will start with two cheetahs first, possibly Vayu and Agni. Their behaviour and health will be monitored carefully before others are released,” said a senior environment ministry official, who asked not to be named.
The two cheetahs are brothers, and have been together since birth. They are among the 12 translocated from South Africa for Project Cheetah.
Interestingly, they were also the ones first moved to the wild in December for tourists in Kuna to spot. However, while Vayu stayed in Kuno, Agni went on a walkabout and was eventually tranquilised in Baran, Rajasthan. Both Vayu and Agni were subsequently moved back to a soft enclosure.
There are 24 Cheetahs in Kuno presently. Two years after 20 adult cheetahs were imported from Nambia (8) and South Africa (12), 12 cheetahs are surviving and out of the 17 cubs born , 12 are surviving. According to officials, 8 out of 12 introduced from SA and 4 out of 8 introduced from Namibia are surviving, there are 11 cubs(<1 yr old) and 1 sub adult (age 19 months), all born on Indian soil, are surviving.
Vayu and Agni may be released in the wild by end of the month officials said. Some more Cheetahs as part of the second phase of Project Cheetah may be introduced from South Africa and Kenya. “We are in negotiations with these countries,” an official said.
On September 17 , Project Cheetah completed two years. Union environment minister, Bhupender Yadav had said in September that conserving the cheetah in the wild “hasn’t been an easy road. Numerous challenges, from habitat adjustments to ensuring the cubs’ survival in the wild, were overcome.”
“Two years ago, we embarked on a historic journey to reintroduce cheetahs in India after nearly 70 years. The project, envisioned by PM Shri @narendramodi ji, a pioneering effort globally, symbolizes hope for successfully restoring lost wildlife populations and ecosystems. It hasn’t been an easy road. Numerous challenges, from habitat adjustments to ensuring the cubs’ survival in the wild, were overcome,” he wrote on X then.
The cats currently continue to remain in large/ acclimatization enclosures. Officials on Monday said meetings have been conducted with neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh like Rajasthan because cheetahs can move there, once released in the wild. Infrastructure in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh is also being readied for cheetahs, they added.
