2 leopards, Agni and Vayu released in Kuno National Park

Sheopur : Two male leopards were released into Kuno National Park in Sheopur district on Sunday. The cheetahs named Agni and Vayu were recently released into the Parond forest range of Ahera tourist area of Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur district as part of the cheetah reintroduction project.

This step allows tourists to see these creatures in the designated area. An official statement from the Chief Conservator of Forests (Project Tiger) highlighted the importance of this development for the visitors of the national park.

The decision to release the cheetahs has been taken after monitoring fifteen cheetahs, including seven males, seven females and one cub, which were kept in bomas (enclosures) in KNP since August under the supervision of a team of veterinarians. Unfortunately, six adult cheetahs have succumbed to various causes since March, taking the total death toll of cats, including three cubs, to nine.

The extensive cheetah reintroduction project included the introduction of eight Namibian cheetahs – including five females and three males – into KNP enclosures on September 17, 2022. In addition, twelve cheetahs arrived in the national park from South Africa in February, and in March, four Namibian cheetah cubs named Jwala were born, of which three cubs died in May.