BHOPAL: Five-year-old Namibian Cheetah- Oban now dubbed as ‘ghumakkad’ or the wanderer is out on yet another exciting escapade as it has made its way to Madhav National Park from Kuno National Park.
According to the latest updates, Oban was spotted Berad village area of Shivpuri which is at least 35 km away from the Kuno.
“ It was on Sunday that male Cheetah Oban crossed over to Shivpuri district. Its location is somewhere in the Berad village area of Shivpuri. Oban covered a distance of at least 35 kilometers to reach there. Oban escaped from Kuno under the exploration bid and this is the second time that it crossed the boundaries of Kuno,” said an officer of Kuno National Park. On being contacted the DFO of KNP has assured that the forest officials are on their toes monitoring the gummakad cheetah’s movements.
“It does not pose a threat to humans, nor do humans pose a threat to it. So there is no need for tranquilization to bring it back. A close eye is being kept on its movement,” he added.
Responding to questions on the lack of space for the feline, Sharma asserted that it could not be determined yet as the species had been extinct for almost seven decades and a lot had transformed since then. Officials have observed that Namibian Cheetahs seem to prefer water-logged fields and river valleys over dense forests.
Last week Oban was spotted chilling under the shade of a tree before he explored beyond the protected area under KNP on Saturday night.
Obans’ captivating journey adds to the excitement of the forest officials who hope for an encounter with tigers at the Madhav National Park. Officers are excited to see the cat species interacting after 7 decades.
Oban belongs to the first batch of 8 cheetahs that were brought to India on September 17th and released into the bommas in KNP. A set of 12 more was brought from South Africa on February 18 this year. One of them died due to a renal problem.