New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday welcomed the translocation of 12 cheetahs from South Africa to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, saying it would give a boost to India’s wildlife diversity.
Quoting a tweet by Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav, the Prime Minister tweeted;
“India’s wildlife diversity receives a boost with this development.”
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, in a tweet, said that Project Cheetah, launched under PM Modi’s directive, had reached another milestone with the arrival of the 12 Cheetahs on Saturday.
“Project Cheetah, launched under PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s leadership, reached another milestone today in Kuno National Park.
“Released 12 cheetahs in the presence of MP CM Shri @ChouhanShivraj and Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri @nstomar.”
The 12 cheetahs brought from South Africa include seven males and five females.
The health of the cheetahs will be tested first and they will be kept in quarantine for month.
On Saturday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the second batch of 12 cheetahs brought from South Africa, to their new home Kuno National Park.
The earlier eight cheetahs were relocated to India from Namibia in September last year.
Bhupender Yadav said the eight cheetahs brought last year to Kuno “have adapted well”.
The 12 cheetahs were brought on board an IAF C-17 aircraft, which landed at the Air Force Station in Gwalior on Saturday after a 10-hour flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.
The animals were then airlifted in IAF helicopters and released in the Kuno National Park.
