PM Modi welcomes "India's visitors" to Kuno National Park 70 years after their extinction.
On September 17, which is also Prime Minister Modi's 72nd birthday, eight cheetahs arrived in Gwalior from Namibia's capital Windhoek at 8 am. The Kuno-Palpur National Park in Madhya Pradesh is where the animals were released (KPNP).
Though India proclaimed cheetahs extinct in 1952, PM Modi said, it is regrettable that no proactive steps were taken to restore them for many years. The largest animal relocation effort in history is taking place with the arrival of these cheetahs from Namibia.
Villagers in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh are worried about a number of things, including the dread of the big cat itself and the worry of land acquisition.
National Geographic released a report which stated that cheetahs are facing extinction all around the globe due to climate change, human hunting, and habitat destruction, all of which are hampering the size of their populations. Another issue is that cheetahs' genes potentially put their own existence in peril. Since cheetahs have a relatively low likelihood of having a successful pregnancy, their species does not reproduce frequently or readily.
Because of their smaller number, it is even more difficult for them to adjust to various surroundings.
The Indian Royal Families and nobility for ages greatly favoured cheetahs since they were simpler to train and shape than tigers. The Kalyani Chalukya emperor Someshvara III Sanskrit work Manasollasa, written in the 12th century, contains the oldest historical evidence of cheetahs being utilised for hunting in India. Cheetah coursing, or using tamed cheetahs for hunting, was a pastime of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Cheetahs nearly became extinct under British rule because no one hunted them. They preferred to go for elephants, bison, and tigers. For the creation of communities and the planting of indigo, tea, and coffee plantations, forests were extensively destroyed. In turn, the cheetahs' natural habitat was lost as a result.
When an animal inbreds and mates with a member of their own family, it is another crucial component, according to the genetic analysis of cheetahs. Consequently, the gene pool of the cheetah population is limited. The residual population's ability to adjust to environmental changes is made more challenging by harmful mutations and problems like diminished genetic variety.
These cheetahs, which PM Modi is bringing to India, were chosen after being evaluated for their health, untamed nature, hunting prowess, and potential to contribute genetic material. They will also undergo regular monitoring. According to Modi Ji, it would take a few months before visitors and enthusiasts may view cheetahs in the wild because the creatures require some time to become used to their new environment.
After Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo killed the last of the species' progeny in 1947, the Asiatic cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in 1952.
As part of an international translocation initiative, the large cats are currently being transported from Namibia to India.
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