Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Male Cheetah ‘Oban’ had strayed recently till Shivpuri during its exploration journey, leaving forest officials of Kuno National Park on tenterhooks. Now, authorities of Kuno have asked their Shivpuri counterparts to carry out awareness programme among masses in respect to the Cheetah so that in future if any cheetah strays there then villagers should not panic. Kuno National Park’s district forest officer (DFO) Prakash Verma told Free Press that Shivpuri forest officials are to carry out public awareness programmes regarding the strayed Cheetah.
He further said that the meetings held under Cheetah Mitra concept in villages of Sheopur district have proved extremely helpful. The villagers have not gathered to see the cheetah when it had strayed into the fields. At the same time, people have gathered in large numbers (to see cheetah) in those villages where no cheetah mitra meeting was held. Under Cheetah Mitra concept, effort is to rope influential persons like sarpanch or educated youths whose words are acceptable to the villagers.
He also informed that four Namibian Cheetahs are displaying good survival skills in the wild of Kuno and are surviving on their own. The teams of dedicated forest officials are continuously monitoring them. Meanwhile, no decision could be taken so far to release the 12 South African cheetahs into big enclosures. They continue to be in quarantine enclosures and are in good health.
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