Key Takeaways
- A cheetah named Agni walked 55KM from Madhya Pradesh to Rajasthan, sparking discussions on reintroducing cheetahs into the region.
- Agni was rescued in the Baran jungle after being hungry for four days, highlighting the need for a well-planned reintroduction program.
- The incident highlights the challenges and risks involved in reintroducing cheetahs into Rajasthan and the need for a coordinated effort between states.
Amidst the discussions of bringing cheetahs to Rajasthan, on the lines of its neighbouring state, Madhya Pradesh, a cheetah, named ‘Agni’, himself walked a distance of 55 KM and entered the forest of Baran, Rajasthan, from the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Agni entered the MP-Rajasthan border on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, and reached the Kelwara Range, 15KM into the interior of the border, early in the morning. The MP government came to know of this through Agni’s collar ID.
The MP government alerted the Rajasthan Forest Department, who monitored Agni’s movements and spotted the cheetah in the Baran jungle. Agni was rescued at 5PM on Monday evening, highlighting the need for swift action in such situations.
It is noteworthy that it is being discussed to bring cheetahs into Rajasthan, for years now. Earlier, the government could not decide on the same, and when it was certain of this move, it wrote to the NTCA regarding the same. But a few days earlier, the permission for the same was declared ungranted.
During the rescue operation, it was found out that Agni the cheetah was hungry, and had not eaten for the last four days!
