Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Monday said Madhya Pradesh had provided a favourable environment for cheetahs and helped make them “part of the family” as India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme continued to expand.
Speaking at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, the chief minister released two female cheetahs, identified as CCV-2 and CCV-3, into the open forest area near the Kuno river.
He said the cheetah project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about three-and-a-half years ago, was progressing successfully and achieving new milestones. Yadav added that Madhya Pradesh was emerging as a major centre for religion, investment and biodiversity conservation.
The chief minister said cheetahs brought from South Africa and Botswana had adapted well to the region and that the state had earned recognition as India’s “Cheetah State”.
According to officials, the country’s cheetah population has now reached 57, including 54 at Kuno National Park and three roaming in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
State ministers, elected representatives, and senior forest and administrative officials attended the event.
