Oban, one of the four cheetahs that were imported from Namibia and released into the wild in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park last year, has escaped from the park and strayed into an agricultural field in Jhar Baroda village, located 20 km away.
Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh | Cheetah Oban, one of the cheetahs brought from Namibia, entered Jhar Baroda village of Vijaypur which is 20 kms away from Kuno National Park. Monitoring team has also reached the village. Efforts are underway to bring the cheetah back: DFO
(Video… pic.twitter.com/4iQAoB6tcz
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) April 2, 2023
A video of the cheetah in the field with a barbed wire fence erected by farmers to safeguard their crops has gone viral on social media.
Forest officials are monitoring the big cat through a collar attached to it.
According to officials, Oban was on the move towards the village from Saturday night. The monitoring team reached the village, and efforts are underway to bring the cheetah back to the national park.
The forest officials are trying to coax the cheetah to go back to the park. They are also reported to be created a corridor by parking vehicles in such a manner that cheetah moves in the direction towards Kuno.
Oban is a male cheetah and they are known to venture farther afield for exploration than their female counterparts.
Meanwhile, the villagers are scared as they fear the cheetah may attack their livestock if it is not sent back to the park.
