MP: CM Dr. Mohan Yadav to release three cheetahs into wild at Kuno on International Cheetah Day
MP: Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav will mark International Cheetah Day on Thursday, 4 December, by releasing three cheetahs, including female cheetah Veera and her two 10‑month‑old cubs, from a large enclosure into the open forest of Kuno National Park in Sheopur district.
On this occasion, he will also release the Kuno National Park Calendar for 2026 and the ‘Field Manual for Clinical Management of Free‑Ranging Cheetahs in Kuno National Park’, and inaugurate the newly constructed souvenir shop in the park.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative brought the ‘Project Cheetah’ to Madhya Pradesh three years ago, when he released cheetahs at Kuno Palpur on his birthday on 17 September 2022 to formally launch the project, after eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia. The combined cheetah population in Kuno Palpur and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary has increased to 32, reflecting significant progress of the project.
Project Cheetah in Madhya Pradesh has been honoured with the ‘Innovative Initiatives Award’, as cheetahs have adapted remarkably well to Indian conditions. Over the last three years, five female cheetahs have given birth on six occasions, demonstrating the project’s success and resilience, with cheetahs not only surviving but also steadily expanding their families.
The main objective of International Cheetah Day is to raise awareness about declining cheetah populations, habitat loss and poaching, while promoting global efforts for their conservation. The APCCF informed that continuous monitoring of the cheetah family will be carried out through advanced radio-tracking systems and dedicated field teams to ensure their safety and successful adaptation in the wild. He further informed that the event will be held in the Parond Forest area of Kuno National Park, which is a designated tourism zone.
The presence of the cheetah family in this area is expected to create new opportunities for ecotourism, increase public participation and interest in Project Cheetah.