Environment Ministry sets up a 9-member taskforce to monitor cheetahs in Kuno National Park

New Delhi, Oct 7: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has constituted a nine-member task force for monitoring cheetah introduction in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh and other suitable designated areas.

 

 

The committee members will focus on reviewing the progress and monitoring the health status of these Cheetahs. "Upkeep of the soft release enclosures and protection status of the entire area. Adherence to the forest and veterinary officials' protocols, advice on Cheetah introduction in India to Madhya Pradesh forest department and NTCA on status of Cheetah with respect to overall health, behaviour and upkeep," read an official statement.

 

 

The members of the committee will include the Principal Secretary (Forests), Madhya Pradesh - Member, Principal Secretary (Tourism), Madhya Pradesh - Member, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, Madhya Pradesh - Member, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden.

 

 

Retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Madhya Pradesh - Member, Alok Kumar, Dr Amit Mallick, Inspector General, NTCA, New Delhi - Member. Dr Vishnu Priya, Scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun - Member, Abhilash Khandekar, Member MP SBWL, Bhopal, Subhoranjan Sen, APCCF- Wildlife - Member Convener are also part of the commitee.

 

The committee's officials will also monitor the hunting skills and adaptations of these Cheetahs. "Monitor release of Cheetah, the opening of the Cheetah habitat for eco-tourism. Suggest and advice on the development of tourism infrastructure in fringe areas, regularly interact with Cheetah Mitras....," added the statement.

 

Earlier on September 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that based on the recommendation of the task force set up to observe cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, it will be decided when people will be able to see the animals.

 

 

PM Modi also invited ideas from the people what should be the names of the campaign and the cheetahs. He had said, "A competition will be organized on the MyGov platform, in which I urge people to share certain things. What should be the name of the campaign we are running on cheetahs? Can we even think of naming all these cheetahs.... by what name should each of them be called? By the way, if this naming is of traditional nature, then it will be very nice since, anything related to our society and culture, tradition and heritage, draws us easily."

 

The cheetahs were declared extinct from India in 1952 but on September 17 this year, eight cheetahs (5 females and 3 males) were brought from Namibia under 'Project Cheetah' as part of the government's efforts to revitalise and diversify the country's wildlife and habitat