Wild Cheetahs Move Closer to Human Settlements in MP, Alarming Forest Officials

Cheetah Jwala and Cubs Leave Kuno Forest, Enter Human Settlements—Raising Fresh Challenges

Gwalior: The female cheetah Jwala and her four cubs, who were released into the open forests of Kuno National Park, have now ventured into human settlements. This unexpected movement has created new challenges for wildlife officials. If the cheetahs continue to move further, they could cross into Rajasthan’s territory, raising concerns among the park authorities. Concerns Over Human-Wildlife Conflict The presence of cheetahs in populated areas has increased the risk of human-wildlife conflict. The park administration is worried, as the specially trained “Cheetah Mitras” (Cheetah Friends)—who were supposed to raise awareness among locals—have been inactive. Since Saturday, the cheetahs have been staying in Veerpur, a village close to human settlements. On Monday night, their location was traced near Telipura village. A video of villagers coming face-to-face with the cheetahs has also gone viral, highlighting the growing concerns. Forest Officials on High Alert

Kuno’s tracking team and forest department officials are closely monitoring the situation. Jwala and her cubs had initially stepped out of the park’s boundary on Saturday evening but briefly returned to the jungle on Sunday afternoon. Attempt to Hunt a Calf On Sunday night, the cheetahs were spotted near Bhaironpura village in Veerpur tehsil. By Monday morning, a calf crossed paths with Jwala, and she instinctively attacked, intending to hunt. However, villagers threw stones at her, forcing her to retreat. The frightened cheetahs backed off as locals shouted and waved sticks. Jwala held the calf by its throat for some time before eventually letting it go. Currently, 17 cheetahs are residing in Kuno National Park.

Role of Cheetah Mitras Becomes Crucial Around 120 Cheetah Mitras were trained to handle such situations, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had even interacted with them. Their role is now more important than ever, especially when cheetahs cross into human-dominated areas. These volunteers were supposed to educate villagers and prevent conflicts, but due to the cheetahs being in enclosures for a long time, their role had taken a backseat. Four Days Without a Successful Hunt Jwala and her cubs haven’t hunted any animal in the last four days. Even the calf attack was unsuccessful due to the villagers’ intervention. This has raised concerns about whether food scarcity in the jungle is forcing the cheetahs to move beyond their territory or if their hunting skills have weakened due to being in enclosures for too long. Wildlife officials now have the tough task of ensuring the cheetahs return safely to Kuno National Park while also preventing any harm to local communities.