The female leopard Siya has given birth to four cubs in the Kuno National Park located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. The park management came to know about Siya’s pregnancy about three weeks ago, since then special attention was being paid to her. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests JS Chauhan said, ‘On September 17, 2022, the three-year-old female cheetah Siya, brought from Namibia to India, has given birth to four cubs.’ Chauhan told that Siya’s activities had become very limited for the last few days, after which it was being speculated that she might give birth to children.
Union Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav described it as a significant moment in India’s wildlife conservation history during the ‘Amrit Kaal’. He wrote, “I am very happy to inform that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the female cheetahs brought to India on 17 September 2022 has given birth to four cubs.” Retweeting it calling it ‘wonderful news’.
Cheetah project towards success: Shivraj
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, ‘This is very good news. There is good news. Just a day ago we were sad because we could not save Sasha due to kidney infection but now Siya has given birth to four kids and all are healthy. I also salute the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project to restore cheetahs is going in the direction of success.
On September 17 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia at Kuno Park on the occasion of his birthday. After keeping these cheetahs in small enclosures for about 50 days, they were released in the big enclosure. On February 18 this year, the second batch of 12 cheetahs were brought to Kuno from South Africa. Significantly, another female cheetah named Sasha died on Monday due to kidney infection. He was also brought to India from Namibia in the first consignment.
Cheetahs are being rehabilitated in India under the ambitious Project Cheetah of the Government of India. The last cheetah in India died in 1947 in Koriya district of present-day Chhattisgarh. In 1952, this fastest running animal on earth was declared extinct in India.
