New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has received a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry for quarantine clearance for eight cheetahs to be released in a big enclosure which were recently introduced in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on his birthday.

Cheetahs brought from Namibia and introduced in Kuno National Park on September 17 are healthy

After getting clearance from the concerned ministry, two male cheetahs were released in an acclimatisation enclosure of Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh`s Sheopur district on Saturday, an official said.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kuno Wildlife Circle Prakash Kumar Verma said, “After the completion of the quarantine period of the cheetahs brought from Namibia, two male cheetahs have been released in a big enclosure. The rest of the cheetahs will also be released in a phase-wise manner soon”.

An official of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said on condition of anonymity that they have received the no objection certificate from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Government of India, for quarantine clearance of eight cheetah which were brought from Namibia on a special plane and introduced by Prime Minister on September 17 at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Sources from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry said that no objection certificate was given based on the routine observation and test reports (negative).

“The Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) were found free from any infectious disease and a final no objection certificate is accorded to Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry,” the sources added.

“The Cheetahs brought from Namibia and introduced in Kuno National Park on September 17 are healthy, alert, vigilant, active and taking normal diet, normal Water and defecation. The quarantine period of 30 days is over. So far two cheetahs were in a big enclosure yesterday and very soon other six cheetahs will be released in a phased manner in a big enclosure of the park where they can hunt,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to ANI.

An official from the Ministry further said that all arrangements have been made for the release of the cheetahs in big enclosures and it is likely that all the cheetahs will find their new enclosure by November 10.

“This is already a big success that no Animal died in intercontinental translocation and not only this, all the Cheetahs that came to India are safe, normal and till date did not face any kind of problems here despite the very long distance journey due to our excellent preparations for them,” said a senior official.