BY DEBASHREE CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA, 1 FEBRUARY 2023
A wildlife enthusiast and photographer by hobby, Atanu Mukherjee of Asansol often visits the green patches in and around India in search of amazing flora and faunas and his contributions have been carried in National Geographic Channel as well.
Suddenly, Atanu Mukherjee has got a chance to catch a glimpse of the fastest animal on earth in the wild. The central government released the first batch of eight wild African cheetahs in the Indian terrain on the occasion of the birthday of PM Narendra Modi last year.
For the first time in the history of the world, animals have been successfully translocated from one continent to another. These cheetahs have arrived from faraway Namibia.
The last three remaining Asiatic cheetahs have been poached in 1947 at Madhya Pradesh and the majestic big cat which can not roar but meows was declared extinct in independent India in 1952.
This month a dozen cheetahs are slated to land at Kuno Palpur from South Africa. The Indian Government has signed a MoU with the South African government for bringing a dozen wild cheetahs to Kuno.
Infact, the central government has plans to introduce about 100 African cheetahs into the wild.
So far out of the eight cheetahs released all are well and healthy except one. It is undergoing treatment at present and is recovering fast. Even these wild cheetahs of Africa have adapted to the Indian terrain and have been poaching Indian herbivores.
Trained elephants are protecting these cheetahs in the wild.
Though the official date of start of Cheetah Safari has not been announced yet, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan has said that the cheetah safari will begin soon and the final phase of the works are going on.
Talking to The Travel and Tourism Times, Atanu Mukherjee has informed that the big cat is his biggest attraction to visit the jungles.
“ I have visited the forests from South to North of India and watched the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger species. I had visited Sri Lanka in 2019, where Tigers are not found, but large number of leopards are found in the wild. It will be a great day for the Indian wildlife enthusiasts as they don’t need to travel to faraway African countries to see the cheetahs roaming in the wild.”
The upcoming Cheetah Safari at Kuno Palpur National Park is all set to give a huge boost to wildlife and adventure tourism in Madhya Pradesh and is all set to become a top destination in India in the coming days.
Initially it will be a jeep safari. Government ID proofs will be required.
ABOUT KUNO PALAMPUR NATIONAL PARK-
Located In The Sheopur District Of Madhya Pradesh, Kuno National Park Is Spread Over An Area Of About 748 Square kilometers is a biodiversity haven, where wild animals Including Indian Leopards, Indian Wolves, Sloth Bear, Monkeys, and more more animals and birds dwell. The home of various wild animals, birds, reptiles etc got Its sanctuary status In 1981.
At present there are 8 cheetahs, 140 leopards and 204 bird species.
It Was Called The Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary. And Then After 37 Years, In 2018, The Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary Was Further Designated As A National Park. Kuno Park Is now the new host of African Cheetahs in India.
The BEST TIME TO VISIT-
October to February:
It Is the best time to visit Kuno. The Park looks most beautiful during this period of the year, with the growth of tall grasses giving the Landscape A Savannah-Like Appearance. During these months, the climate remains pleasant and it is easy to explore the region.
Palpur Rest house, Jungle resort Kuno are nearby, there are also several hotels in Sheopur, about 60 km away from the park entry gate.
Meet the magnificent cheetahs in Kuno National park-
We are proud & happy to share that after successful acclimatization of the #Cheetahs, they have been now released from the Quarantine.
#cheetah #success #happy #cheetahisback @narendramodi@PMOIndia @GovernorMP @CMMadhyaPradesh @moefcc @ntca_india @minforestmp pic.twitter.com/h2VSUrZzhc
— Kuno National Park (@KunoNationalPrk) November 29, 2022
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