PM Modi released two cheetahs from enclosure number one and after a while, from the second enclosure, he released another.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released three cheetahs brought in from Namibia at the Kuno National Park as a part of an initiative to reintroduce cheetahs in India. The big cats had gone extinct nearly 70 years ago.
The Prime Minister, donning a fedora hat, was also seen clicking photographs of the cheetahs. Modi released two cheetahs from enclosure number one and after a while, from the second enclosure, he released another.
All the cheetahs have been strapped with radio collars and will be monitored through the satellite. Each cheetah will have one dedicated monitoring team which will keep a track of the big cats round-the-clock.
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In the morning, an emphatic Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted, “The cheetahs have arrived in their new home- KUNO – heavenly habitat for our cats.” Scindia was tasked to oversee the arrangements as the big cats were shifted to an air force chopper which flew the cheetahs directly to the Kuno National Park.
As many as eight cheetahs have arrived from Namibia onboard a special flight. The special plane with the cheetahs arrived at Gwalior’s Maharajpura airbase a little before 8 am. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said there is no greater gift for Madhya Pradesh than this on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. He added that reintroducing cheetahs will rapidly boost tourism in the state, especially in the Kuno-Palpur region.
A leading expert on cheetahs, Dr Laurie Marker said, “The cats have not been tranquilised but under very mild sedation. They are looking great.” Dr Marker was in the jet which flew the cheetahs from Namibia to India.
