Bhopal will be released in a historic moment for wildlife conservation in India on 17 September (IANS), a female cheetah named ‘Dhara’ on the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Junglee in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
The event is an important milestone in the project Cheetah, a visionary initiative launched by the Prime Minister on his 72nd birthday in 2022, when eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia and released in Kuno National Park in Shoppur district.
The purpose of this project is to resume Cheetah in India after extinct from the country seven decades ago. A government official informed IANS, “The female cheetah Dheer will be released in the forest of Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Forest officials will leave it in the wild.”
Initially, there was doubt whether India’s atmosphere could support Cheetah, but the project cheetah has proved those concerns.
Over the last three years, Cheetah has well adapted to his new accommodation, moving independently in both Kuno and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
The most encouraging sign of success has been the birth of the cheetah cub on Indian soil, not only existence but also a sign of a prosperous population. Currently, there are 25 cheetahs in the Kuno National Park, and two men have been successfully rehabilitated in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, causing a total of 27.
The release of Dheer is expected to further strengthen fertility in the region.
The project has attracted national and international attention and was awarded the Innovative Innovative Award at the 3 Eco Warrior Awards held in New Delhi recently. The award was presented by the IFS Association and the Indian Mastermind, which recognizes the groundbreaking approach of the project for restoration of the species.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav congratulated the entire management team for their dedication and success, called it a proud moment for Madhya Pradesh and for India’s conservation efforts.
According to PCCF Wildlife Suharanjan Sen, the decision to release the land coincides with the third anniversary of the project and a permanent cheetah reflects the increasing belief in the ability of the sanctuary to support the population.
The project cheetah has become a symbol of India’s leadership in global nature conservation, proving that extinction is not the last of extinction. With vision, plan and determination, lost species can be revived.
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SKTR/DPB