WATCH: Cheetah Group Stray Outside Kuno National Park In MP's Morena, Triggers Panic Among Villagers
Morena (Madhya Pradesh): In a surprising incident on Sunday morning, five cheetahs were spotted straying near Pagara Dam in the Joura area, around 150 kilometers away from Kuno National Park.
Their presence in the open caused panic among villagers and passersby.
Locals who saw the cheetahs while out for a morning walk were shocked. Some people ran and hid, while others managed to capture videos of the big cats. The cheetahs were seen moving towards the Pagara Dam.
Big cats under monitor
According to Deputy Ranger Vinod Kumar Upadhyay, these cheetahs came from Kailaras and were seen resting near the Pagara Dam area. As soon as the forest department got their location, a team rushed to the spot. The cheetahs are currently resting on higher ground near villages like Kothi and Jogi Devgarh.
On the other hand, 4 trained Cheetah Mitras (Cheetah caretakers) are also present with them, and forest officials are keeping a close watch from a safe distance.
The forest department has cordoned off the area and is monitoring the situation. The cheetahs are wearing tracking collars, which allows the experts to monitor their movements continuously. So far, they have not harmed anyone.
Villagers must remain alert
Experts say it is not unusual for cheetahs to move out of the national park occasionally, but five of them doing so at once is a serious concern. This has raised questions about the safety measures and monitoring inside the park.
Fear has spread across nearby villages. People are staying indoors, moving in groups if they must go out, and keeping children inside. After videos of the cheetahs went viral, the matter has become a hot topic in the district.
The forest department has urged villagers to remain alert, avoid going to fields alone, stop children from playing outside, and report any sightings of the cheetahs to the forest officials or local authorities immediately.
news