President Droupadi Murmu today interacted with Cheetah Mitras and members of the Sahariya tribe at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district. She appreciated their contribution to Project Cheetah and said that the active participation of local communities is playing an important role in the success of the ambitious conservation programme.

 

Earlier, the President went on a safari in Kuno National Park and reviewed the progress of the cheetah reintroduction project. She also visited the Cheetah Command and Control Centre, where she viewed an exhibition on Project Cheetah and was briefed on the monitoring, tracking and conservation measures being undertaken for the animals.

Officials informed the President that India currently has 52 cheetahs, including 49 in Kuno National Park, while three have been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. She was also apprised of the tracking system, conservation initiatives and water facilities developed inside the forest for the cheetahs.

 

Project Cheetah was launched by PM Modi in 2022 with the release of eight cheetahs brought from Namibia into Kuno National Park. Subsequently, additional cheetahs were brought from South Africa and Botswana. The cheetah population in Kuno has been steadily increasing through sustained conservation and breeding efforts, marking a significant milestone in India’s wildlife conservation programme.