Cheetahs exploring habitat, nothing to worry: Project Tiger head on straying incident in Madhya Pradesh

Cheetahs released into the wild are exploring their habitat and it is a very good sign, a senior Environment Ministry official has said after a spotted feline strayed out of Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park recently.

Cheetahs released into the wild are exploring their habitat and it is a very good sign, a senior Environment Ministry official has said after a spotted feline strayed out of Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park recently.

Oban, one of the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia in September last year, strayed out of the park on April 2.

State forest officials on Friday said it was rescued from a forest area in a neighbouring Shivpuri district on Thursday evening and released into the park again.

Additional Director General of Forests S.P. Yadav told PTI that such movement of cheetahs was a natural phenomenon and there was nothing to worry about.

"Four cheetahs have been released completely. They are free ranging in the wild. Their movement is natural. We are happy that cheetahs are moving and exploring the areas and based on the exploration they identify their suitable habitat," Mr. Yadav, who is also the head of Project Tiger, said in an interview with PTI.

"It is a very good sign that they are exploring other areas. It's a natural phenomenon and there is nothing to worry about. But I must tell you that every cheetah which has been released in Kuno is monitored round the clock," he said.

The senior official said the government had appointed "Cheetah mitras" to familiarise the local populations with the felines and minimise potential conflicts.