Cheetah EscapesKuno National Park, Spotted in Rajasthan Village

On Saturday, May 4, 2024, a male cheetah escaped from the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh and was spotted in Simara village, Karauli district, Rajasthan, approximately 50 kilometers away. The cheetah, identified as one of the Namibian cheetahs brought to the park, caused panic among the villagers when it was seen roaming in the area on Saturday morning.

Why this matters: The successful reintroduction of cheetahs in India has significant implications for conservation efforts and biodiversity. This incident highlights the challenges and importance of effective management and monitoring of wildlife reintroduction projects to ensure the safety of both humans and animals.

According to Karauli Wildlife Deputy Conservator of Forest Piyush Sharma, "Information was received about a wild animal in Simara village. The animal was identified as a male cheetah." The cheetah is believed to have traveled from Kuno National Park through Sheopur and Sabalgarh in Madhya Pradesh, both adjacent to the Chambal river, before reaching Simara village, which is also situated on the banks of the Chambal river.

Villager Kedar Meena recounted the incident, saying,"Some villagers were going to the field on Saturday morning. At that time, he saw a wild animal. They got scared after seeing the wild animals and returned to the village. "The villagers promptly informed the forest department, and teams from both the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh forest departments arrived at the scene tocapture the cheetah.

The forest department and police have advised the local residents to remain alert and maintain a safe distance from the cheetah. Efforts are underway to tranquilize the animal and safely return it to Kuno National Park. Piyush Sharma stated, "Efforts are on to capture the leopard and bring it back to Kuno. For this, the forest department team is waiting from Kuno."

This incident is not the first of its kind. Four months ago, another cheetah went missing from Kuno National Park and was later found in the forest of Baran district, adjacent to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In that instance, the Kuno team successfully tranquilized the cheetah and rescued it.

The cheetahs at Kuno National Park are part of an ambitious project to reintroduce the species to India, decades after they were declared extinct in the country. In September 2022, eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia to the park, and later, an additional 12 cheetahs were translocated from South Africa in February 2023. The project aims to establish aviable cheetah populationin India, with Kuno National Park serving as the primary habitat.

As the forest department teams work to capture the escaped cheetah and return it to the safety of Kuno National Park, the incident serves as a reminder of the challenges involved in thecheetah reintroduction project. The successful capture and return of the cheetah will be crucial in ensuring the safety of both the animal and the local communities living near the park.

Key Takeaways

• A male cheetah escaped from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India.
• The cheetah was spotted 50 km away in Simara village, Rajasthan, causing panic.
• The animal traveled through 3 districts before reaching the village.
• Forest teams from both states are working to tranquilize and return the cheetah.
• This is the 2nd incident in 4 months, highlighting challenges in the cheetah reintroduction project.