Released in wild, Kuno cheetah takes stroll towards Ranthambore

BHOPAL: One of the two cheetahs released in the wild in Kuno National Park has ventured out and is making its way towards Ranthambore in Rajasthan.

On Sunday morning, passersby near Polytechnic College in Sheopur captured video footage of the cheetah -- believed to be Agni -- crossing a road. This town is 360km from Bhopal and barely 20km from the Rajasthan border. It seems to have travelled 50-60km out of Kuno's protected perimeter and is around 70km from Ranthambore.

The forest department is closely monitoring its movements. The cheetah is currently establishing its own territory outside Kuno National Park, said officials. They have opted not to tranquilize the animal, hoping it will return safely to Kuno.

Residents of Sheopur were thrilled to catch a glimpse of the cheetah as it moved through the area. Locals excitedly shared videos on social media, celebrating this rare sighting outside the protected habitat.

It seems to be following in the footsteps of cheetah Pawan aka Oban, the original ghumakkad, who kept wandering beyond Kuno's confines, keeping foresters on the tenterhooks. It was tranquillised in April 2023 to stop it from crossing over to Uttar Pradesh. This April, female cheetah Veera was rescued by foresters after going for a stroll in Jaura, Pahargarh, and Kailaras areas of Morena for 25 days.

Rajasthan's forest officials have been alerted to the wandering cheetah's movements. Protocols set during a recent interstate coordination meeting between the two states will now come into play.

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