Cheetah Reintroduction Project to take off on PM Modi's birthday
Sep 14, 2022
New Delhi [India], September 14 : The Cheetah Reintroduction Project, which aims to restore the population of cheetahs in the country, will formally take off on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, September 17, 2022.
The first batch of cheetahs, translocated from Namibia to India, will be released into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in the presence of PM Modi.
IndianOil, as the lead energizer of this project, will be supporting the National Tiger Conservation Authority with Rs 50.22 Crore for taking the project forward.
"IndianOil is proud to welcome the Cheetahs back to Indian soil. It is an affirmation of IndianOil's resolve to align with Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision to preserve and enhance India's wildlife and maintain a healthy ecological balance," said S M Vaidya, the chairman of IndianOil.
"Restoring original cheetah habitats and their biodiversity should go a long way to stem the degradation and rapid loss of biodiversity. As the only corporate championing this special cause, we hope this project's success will open up more avenues for crafting a sustainable future," Vaidya added.
Cheetah was officially declared extinct in India, in 1952. Under the Species Recovery Program of the Government of India, species that become extinct are restored in their historic natural habitat.
Some landmark projects supporting the program include the Restoration of Tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve and the Reintroduction of Gaur (Indian Bison) in Bandhavgarh. Now, the Kuno National Park will have cheetahs from Africa, marking a fresh start for the species in the country.
IndianOil's financial support would be directed towards cheetah introduction endeavours, habitat management, protection, eco-development, staff training and veterinary healthcare.
