8 cheetahs settle down well in their new home at Kuno National Park

With more than 48 hours having lapsed since the cheetahs have landed in India’s Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the animals according to officials are super relaxed.

The eight cheetahs obtained from the African nation Namibia have got over their jet lag and starting to settle down in their new home.

One of them has been named Asha – meaning hope in Hindi – and she was captured in a trap cage in the farm neighbouring the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s farm in July 2022.

Sharing details about her, CCF’s Coordinator, Susan Yannetti said: “On September 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given the gift of naming this cheetah in honour of his birthday. PM Modi chose the name Asha, which means hope.”

The other four females have been christened as Siyaya, Tblisi, Sasha and Savanaha while the two brothers from the same litter are called Freddie and Elton while the third male has been named Oban.

An CCF told the media that the brothers were relaxed and cuddled up in the marble grass.

S.P. Yadav, Secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority informed that all the eight were doing well. “They are healthy and calm. So far, experts haven’t found anything that raises concern.”

Eli Walker and Bart Balli, CCF experts, will remain stationed in India to help officials and train them in conservation release projects.

After spending a month in quarantine at the enclosure the eight shall be shifted to a six square km enclosed patch of land within the national park. Here they will remain for four months and then they shall be released in the wild.

Next month 12 more cheetahs are expected to be translocated from South Africa and over next five years 50 of these felines are expected.