Two more cheetahs shifted to soft release enclosure in KNP

Male cheetah Pawan and female feline Nabha were on Wednesday shifted to a soft release boma in Kuno National Park KNP in Madhya Pradesh, taking the number of the big cats shifted to the enclosure in the last three days to six, officials said.The two cheetahs were shifted to the soft-release area from the quarantine enclosure.

Male cheetah Pawan and female feline Nabha were on Wednesday shifted to a soft release 'boma' in Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, taking the number of the big cats shifted to the enclosure in the last three days to six, officials said.

The two cheetahs were shifted to the soft-release area from the quarantine enclosure. ''Pawan (Male) and Nabha (female) were shifted to soft-release boma on Wednesday following protocols after completion of their health check-up. The process of release was completed successfully by the team of veterinary officers in the presence of senior officers,'' an official release said.

Both cheetahs were fitted with satellite-collar before being shifted to the soft-release boma. They are healthy and were kept in the quarantine boma for health check-up, it said.

Male cheetahs Gaurav and Shourya, and Vayu and Agni, were shifted to the soft release bomas on Sunday and Monday, respectively, according to officials.

Under the cheetah reintroduction project, eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17 last year.

In February this year, 12 more cheetahs arrived at KNP from South Africa. Later, four cubs were born in KNP, which raised the number of the felines to 24. Since March, nine cheetahs, including three cubs, have died, while 14 cheetahs and one cub are in healthy condition, officials said. Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952.