Calm cheetahs adapting well to new home in Kuno

It was a bright, sunny afternoon in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, with the mercury touching 36 degrees Celsius on Sunday. A four-year-old cheetah, christened Asha by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon her release into Kuno National Park on Saturday, sat under the shade of a tree in her enclosure.She was named Asha — Hindi for hope — as the country, after a decades-long effort, brought the animals back to the country, in a bid to restore a species that was declared extinct in 1952 due to poaching and shrinking of grasslands.

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“The female cheetah was captured in a trap cage on the farm of a Namibian businessman neighbouring CCF’s in July 2022. She was released on CCF property but was again caught in August. On September 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given the gift of naming this cheetah in honour of his birthday. PM Modi chose the name Asha, which means hope,” said Susan Yannetti, coordinator, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).