Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Preparations under the intercontinental cheetah translocation project are in full swing at Kuno Palpur Sanctuary, Sheopur. Forest department has deployed three best known veterinarians in the wildlife Sanctuary where at least eight Namibian Cheetahs will be released in specially built enclosure in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday i.e on September 17.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wild Life) JS Chauhan said the Cheetahs will be brought by plane from Namibia to Jaipur and from there to Kuno Palpur Sanctuary by a chopper on the day.
Meanwhile, the state forest officers are upbeat about the recent visit of the South Africa team to Kuno Palpur Sanctuary, in Sheopur. The team was satisfied by the arrangements being made at the sanctuary under Cheetah translocation project, said the officials. A senior forest officer said the team saw the quarantine area and enclosure made for Cheetahs. One single enclosure is 5 square km and inside it, there are nine compartments. The team has also given some tips and suggestions to the forest officers and the same will be executed in the coming days. Dean of Wild Life Institute, Dehradun, Dr YV Jhala while talking to Free Press said the South Africa team was quiet positive, they inspected the habitat, prey base etc and were satisfied by the arrangements. Notably, the Indian government is yet to ink an agreement with South Africa for translocation of Cheetahs. The South Africa government will decide over the matter once its team which visited Kuno Palpur Sanctuary submits its report.
