Bhopal: The workers who were given the task of feeding and taking care of the cheetahs in the Kuno National Park in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, have called for a strike. On Tuesday, the workers refused to butcher goats and buffalos to feed the big cats in the special enclosures called the Soft Release Bomas (SRB).
These 30 workers were from the nearby village and are prominently from Yadav and Gujjar communities. They were hired because of their exceptional knowledge of the nearby terrain and the behavior towards animals. According to reports, the workers were paid around Rs 9000 per month and they worked in shifts.
These workers have refused to butcher goats and buffalos for the cheetah because of their religious beliefs. They even refused the training offered by the national park officials.
German researchers have expressed concerns about the capacity of Kuno National Park to handle the big cats under Project Cheetah. This time, cheetah-trackers working in Kuno have started a strike, making serious allegations against the administration.
There are 26 cheetahs including 13 cubs in Kuno. Though the park has faced many challenges linked to habitat and adaptability, this time the problem is different – cheetah-trackers are on strike.
A majority of them say they belong to the Gurjars and Yadav castes and so, cannot handle goat meat to feed the cheetahs. They alleged their pay is extremely low – Rs 9,000 – for the kind of tiring work they do.
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