Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A sum of Rs 44 crore has been spent since the Cheetah conservation project started in Kuno National Park in 2021–2022.
This was informed in writing to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly by forest minister Nagar Singh Chouhan on Wednesday. He was replying to the question asked by Congress MLA Ramnivas Rawat.
Chouhan informed that the expenditure of Rs 75.44 lakh was made under the program in which the PM released the cheetahs into Kuno National Park in September 2022. This sum was spent under the h2ead of IOCL. In September 2022, eight Cheetahs were translocated to Kuno from Namibia. In the month of February 2023, 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa. In this manner, 20 cheetahs were translocated. In the meantime, 11 cubs have taken birth in Kuno.
Out of these total 31 cheetahs, three cubs and seven adult cheetahs died for different reasons.
As of now, there are 21 cheetahs, including 13 adult cheetahs and 8 cubs. No report has been provided by Cheetah Specialists in connection with an unsuitable atmosphere for cheetahs, the translocation of cheetahs in an excessive manner, and the cheetah’s inability to survive.
On the other hand, the number of visitors increased after the cheetahs were translocated to Kuno.
In the year 2022, a total of 942 tourists, including 936 Indian tourists and 6 foreign tourists, have visited. The income through them was Rs 492908.
In 2023, as many as 6871 tourists, including 6863 Indian tourists and 8 foreign tourists, visited the park. Through them, an income of Rs 5lakh was earned.
